Owls and Musings
by Zarathustra46
Summary: Esmerelda Scott is a researcher for the Ministry of Magic. Shopping in Flourish and Blotts she reaches for the same book as another patron. Friendship and Romance ensue. A light fluffy Severus fic.
1. Chapter 1

Owls and Musings

Chapter 1

_The young woman walked along the road to Hogwarts from the village of Hogsmeade. Normally a pleasant walk during the early summer, this particular stroll was full of anxiety for the witch. Was she going to be able to convince the headmistress of her tidings? Would the portrait back her up? She continued to walk along, the sun dappling the lane through the trees that lined the road, her summer robes flowing behind her in the breeze. The students were all gone now for the summer break. It had been many years since she had last walked this route to the castle. As she approached the gates, she could see that the Aurors were still in residence._

"_Esmerelda Scott," she announced herself. " I have an appointment with the Headmistress." _

_The Auror in charge checked his list and made a mark with his quill. He gave her a small smile."You're expected, Miss," he said, opening the gate to let her in._

"_Thank you."_

_She started up the pathway to the castle looking around her as she walked. The summer air danced over the lawns and in the distance she saw the white mausoleum by the lake. Promising herself she would make a proper visit to the grave, she entered the front doors and headed up the marble stairs, soaking in the castle atmosphere like a long needed draught of elixir. Aye, she did belong here, she felt._

_She approached the gargoyle guarding the hidden stairs to the head's office. "Newtons." He sprang to one side and she stepped on the spiral stairs letting them draw her upwards to the headmistress' door. Taking a deep breath to steel herself against the oncoming conversation, she lifted the brass doorknocker and let it fall._

"_Enter," came the muffled voice from within. She opened the door to a room that was bright with summer sun. Most of the portraits, including Dumbledore's behind the desk, appeared to be sleeping; she could even hear some snoring. She smiled as she approached the open arms of her Aunt._

"_Esme! I was so glad to get your message; I haven't seen you in ages. To what do I owe this pleasure?" They moved to a pair of chairs by an open window looking out over the lawn. A fresh breeze stirred the summer air; a tea service already awaited them._

_Esme smiled and accepted a cup. "What? Do I need a reason to see my favorite Auntie and wish her condolences on her recent loss?"_

_Minerva McGonagall nearly choked on the sip she was taking. "I am your only Aunt, as you well know – you impertinent chit." Her face relaxed. "But I thank you," she said, inclining her head slightly towards her niece. "Now, what is up that you insisted must be done in my office?"_

_Esme took a sip and set her cup back down on the side table. "Have you found a new transfiguration teacher yet?" she started off._

"_I don't even know if the governors will keep the school open next term, much less filling the vacant positions." The older woman sighed into her cup as she relaxed into her chair as well._

"_True," she acknowledged. "But, if they did – would you consider me for the job?"_

"_Of course! You were the best student I ever had in transfiguration. One of the few who ever received an Outstanding on their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s."_

"_Aye, mum always said it ran in the family as well as your Animagus capabilities," Esme mused._

"_You still transform?" Minerva asked curiously._

"_On occasion." Esme let her features blur and a large Eagle Owl sat on the chair. She transformed back and reached for her teacup._

"_Very good. I always liked your form, quite practical at times. But, as I said before, I don't even know if the governors will keep the school open this year. And if they do, how many students will return."_

_Esme sat still a moment then stood up to pace around the office, twirling a ring on her finger._

"_What if I gave you and the governors some assurance that if a Death Eater attack were imminent for the school I could give you enough warning to get the students to safety."_

_Minerva started out of her chair, fury mixed with apprehension in the gaze she threw at her niece._

"_Don't tell me…"_

"_Me? No, Auntie, put your mind at ease – I am not a Death Eater. But I have a very good… friend … who is and can get word to me. In fact…" she turned towards the headmistress, "…you know him pretty well yourself."_

"_I don't know…" she started. Then as a certain niggling thought entered her head, she gasped, "Snape."_

_Nodding, Esme was impressed her Aunt had caught on so quickly._

_Her Aunt looked stricken. "No, Esme, don't do it. Do you know what he has done?" she cried, pointing at the portrait behind her desk. "He killed Albus. He used the killing curse."_

_All the portraits were awake and listening, now. Esme heard rustlings and murmurings around her. She darted a pitying smile towards her Aunt. "There were extenuating circumstances." This caused a mild uproar among the denizens of the paintings. Albus, however, merely nodded within his frame. She saw Phineas Nigellus cast a calculated glance in Dumbledore's direction._

"_Extenuating circumstances!" Minerva's voice rose, nearing the screech level. "__What__ extenuating circumstances?" Fury was truly evident in her voice now._

"_Listen to her, Minerva," said a kindly voice near her Aunt, stopping her in her tracks._

_McGonagall whirled towards the portrait of Dumbledore. "Albus, what are you saying? Am I to trust her?"_

"_Yes. Trust her and her information. Listen to her story, it is vital you believe her."_

"_But Albus, -- Snape?" she pleaded with the portrait._

"_Listen Minerva, please," his gaze moved to the younger woman. " Tell her from the beginning, Esme"_

"_That far back? All right, it might be necessary at that. Have a seat, Auntie, this may take a while." She settled in across from her Aunt._

"_About thirteen years ago, I met Severus in Diagon Alley."_

"_Thirteen years ago? But I was there when you were introduced to the Order last year. You acted as if you had just met him at that meeting!" McGonagall sputtered._

"_That's what you were supposed to assume, Auntie. Let me continue," she said. " I was in London to do some shopping and had stopped in at Flourish and Blotts to indulge my passion for used, rare books…" _

The young man moved into the next room of rare books at Flourish and Blotts. Not a handsome man, he appeared slightly older than his real age – an advantage when you were teaching students not much younger than yourself. His black hair was worn long to his shoulders and he wore his preferred black frock coat under his equally black wizard robes. He wasn't looking for any particular book this time, but he wanted to see if anything new had come in over the previous school term. This room housed used books that were acquired from estate auctions and several prominent wizards had died recently. He was hoping to find a hidden treasure among the flotsam.

As he started his perusal of the titles on the shelves he barely registered the fact that there was another person in the room with him. They were on the other side of the room in any case, weren't they? As he thought this, his eye caught a title he had been looking for. _Eureka!_ His hand reached for the book only to have it blocked by someone else.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Were you interested in this, as well?" a soft voice said.

He looked over to discover that the other occupant of the room was now standing near him and was decidedly female. He took refuge in his patented sneer.

"Yes, I was. Why are you?" _Now why did I ask that_?

"Research. I'm a general research associate attached to the Ministry and that book has been on my personal 'seek and obtain' list for about three years," she said as she grinned up at him. She was a tad short, barely over five feet if he was any judge. She was on the pleasingly plump side and was wearing Muggle jeans and a summer jumper under her dark blue ministry robes. Her hair - a dark mahogany colour - hung past her waist in a thick braid. The bespectacled face was friendly, freshly scrubbed without the artificiality of makeup. "You look vaguely familiar to me," she murmured. "What year did you leave Hogwarts?"

A bit nonplussed he answered, "Seventy-six."

"Ah, that's it. I was seventy-eight." She looked at him more keenly. "Severus Snape?"

"Correct."

He was startled when she stuck out her hand. "Esmerelda Scott." When he didn't shake her hand she dropped it, but did not frown. "Look, how much is it worth to you to have this book today."

He shrugged, and she went on. "I mean to say, I am willing to share possession. It's very rare – as I am sure you know – but I definitely need to use it as background to my research."

"As do I." He narrowed his eyes as he crossed his arms and looked down at her. "What are you proposing?" _Why am I encouraging her? I should just take the book and leave!_

"We split the cost – it's 40 galleons – and we share," she said as she shrugged.

Snape considered the proposal while gazing silently at her for a moment longer. It was obvious his silence was making her uncomfortable. As he gazed at her he noticed that the colour of her eyes behind the spectacles were green – almost olive in hue. He really could use the text… just as she opened her mouth to continue he raised a hand to cut her off.

"Fine, I accept your proposal." His face smoothed out into, what was for him, a grin. _Bloody green eyes… _he mused …g_et to me every time._

"Good," she nodded. "And if you buy me dinner, I'll let you have the first crack at it!" she grinned back.

Snape sighed, not such an easy proposal after all. _Well, maybe I can get rid of her quickly._

He agreed to the dinner and after paying for the book they headed over to the Leaky Cauldron for some pub food.

Somehow, during the conversation, he had decided that she wasn't half bad. He discovered that she had broken school records for the most outstanding O.W.L.s – fourteen – and N.E.W.T.s – eight; that she took summers off from her ministry researches to pursue her music studies and that she was one of the youngest transfiguration experts in the country.

"That talent is familial," she stated, sipping at her glass of wine.

"How so?" he asked as he topped up both of their cups.

"I believe you work with my Aunt," he had already told her of his teaching post at their old school.

"Your Aunt?" he thought a second " Not…"

"Professor McGonagall, aye." Her Scottish brogue had intensified over the evening. He had found it somewhat charming.

"Is your Aunt?" he looked askance.

She chuckled. "Now you know why my academics were so good; couldn't let the family down and all that. It was a bloody nuisance, to tell you the truth. Even worse was having her as Head of House. I couldn't get away with anything!"

They continued talking about trivialities for quite sometime until she finally noticed the hour.

"I better get home before I turn into a pumpkin." She rose from her seat, holding out her hand – this time he rose and shook it. "Severus, thank you for the meal and conversation."

"It was my pleasure, Miss Scott." And the odd thing was, it truly had been. "I'll owl you the book in a month?"

"No hurry. Enjoy it and let me know what you think." She gathered up her things and headed for the apparition point at the back of the bar, gave him a smile and Disapparated.

Snape was amazed. He had just had an enjoyable, companionable evening with a woman who was an intellectual equal, and a Gryffindor at that. The last time that had happened had been in school with his potions partner, Lily Evans. _Best not to think of that, too many bad memories._ He drained the last of his wine and after paying Tom, Apparated back to Hogsmeade.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Miss Scott,_

_In honor of our agreement, I am forwarding the book we jointly purchased. I have marked several areas of interest and written my comments on the markers. I would be interested in your opinion._

_I hope your summer has been enjoyable. I am currently brewing potions to restock the infirmaries inventory for the coming year and ordering ingredients for the student cupboard. I am convinced that students are raiding the cupboards for more than is absolutely necessary! I just can't prove it._

_Until later,_

_SS_

Severus,

Sorry I've taken so long to respond. I am including a separate sheet with my opinions. Thank you for your insights, they were very helpful and led my research on to several different paths of investigation.

I am back on the road again. My job with the ministry lets me stay at home for the summer, as you know, but the rest of the year I am traveling all over. I recently came across an original manuscript of _Moste Potente Potions_. Of most interesting note is the difference in receipts of several potions (i.e.: ingredient changes), as well as inclusion or exclusion of certain potions. I am currently making a list of the changes between then and now and will forward it to you later. I could use your expertise in determining why certain changes were made. What is the oldest edition that you, or the school, own?

In other research I am studying magical music in western cultures. While it is a well known phenomenon in Eastern and Aboriginal cultures, not much is known of its use in Western magical practice – at least since medieval times. I am trying to find out why and what, if any, still exists.

So, what is your news? Any promising students in potions or are they all dolts?

Awaiting your next,

Esmerelda

_My Dear Esmerelda,_

_I am glad my opinions were helpful and I am looking forward to your edition comparisons of MPP. I also feel that if anyone can discover the missing musical magic of Western culture, it will be you. You strike me as a very resourceful and persistent individual._

_I was wondering if you would have any time available during the upcoming holidays to go to dinner one evening? We could go over your comparisons then. Besides, I need to get out of the castle for a while. There are NO promising potions students this year! I have lost count as to the number of times cauldrons have blown up this autumn._

_Let me know,_

_SS_

Severus,

Never let it be said that I stood in the way of your escaping from exploding cauldrons! I would be glad to join you for a holiday dinner. Name the place and time.

Both research projects are coming along smartly. I am currently trying to locate several of the original ingredients that were changed out in later editions. I am feeling that experimentation may be helpful. I have also discovered some obscure magical music texts. I may have you try some of these as they involve music with potion brewing. Might be a good project for some seventh year NEWT students?

Looking forward to your owl,

Esme.

_My Dear Esmerelda,_

_In answer to your request, I have taken the liberty to secure a reservation for Christmas Eve at 8 pm at a muggle restaurant near Diagon Alley. Meet me at the LC at 7:30 and we will go on from there._

_With great anticipation,_

_SS_

_PS: You are making a large leap in assumption that my seventh years can sing!_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

Esmerelda put the note back down on her dresser. _He's taking me to a muggle restaurant? This ought to be interesting, _she thought to herself, as she prepared for the meeting. Actually she probably could refer to this as a "Date", she supposed, although it had been awhile since she had been on one. Ministry researchers did not, as a rule, get out that often. If they did, it was for business meetings. Could this be considered a business meeting? No, she decided, she definitely preferred "Date."

She rolled up her hair into a sleek twist at the back of her head, pinning it with some well placed charms, picked out some nice earrings and applied her makeup with a deft hand.

"Very nice, dearie," said her mirror as she checked herself over.

"Thank you," she said, "It's not too much? Perhaps a softer red on the lips?"

"No, go with your first instincts. They're always the best," the mirror declared.

She always kept a few clothes on hand for when she had to interact with muggles, especially when she and her quartet performed during the summer. Dropping her dressing gown on the bed, she chose a performance dress for this evening. A nice deep purple with black beading on the bodice and at the wrists, it was concert length and she paired it with black pumps that added a little to her height. A muggle winter cape completed her ensemble and she grabbed her portfolio of notes, a small gift she had picked up in her travels for Severus, and apparated to Diagon Alley.

She almost did not recognize him, dressed in a muggle casual suit, and woolen winter coat. She did a quick twirl in front of him.

"Well, is it too fancy?" she queried.

He raised one eyebrow and eyed her outfit. "It will do." He offered her his arm and they headed out the front door of the tavern. He guided her on the short walk through the Christmas Eve snowfall to the restaurant he had chosen.

They were seated in a small private alcove near the fireplace and Esmerelda soon discovered that Severus had excellent taste in food and wine and let him order for the both of them.

As they waited for their dinner to arrive, she pulled out her comparisons and handed them to Severus to look over. She was gratified to see the interest in his face.

"As you can see, over the years there've been many substitutions made for several ingredients, and in some cases whole receipts have been omitted or added."

"Yes, yes. What is this notation here?" he asked, pointing to a mark next to an older potion. She leaned in to look and then leaned back in her chair, a decidedly Cheshire grin on her face.

"Ah, that – my friend – leads me to my other research project. Did you know that originally many of these potions had accompanying chants that were to be sung or hummed during the preparation?"

"You're serious?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Extremely. It was one of the reasons why I had embarked on the second research project this autumn." She dropped her grin as she went on. " I think the reason why the practice was discontinued over the centuries was due to problems if the practitioner was tone deaf."

"That would present a problem, especially if certain intervals were required," he mused.

She nodded her vigorously in agreement. "Precisely. But I'm still interested in trying out some of these older potions with the music and see what it does. Unfortunately, I don't have the time for practical applications so it may need to go on the back burner," she said with a small sigh, leaning back and sipping her wine.

"No, don't drop this yet," he said looking down at the notes, a real grin lighting up his face. "Let _me_ try some of these, conduct some experiments. I am NOT tone deaf," he added, to her amusement.

"Right, you're on. Here is the binder with a copy of the manuscript. Can you read medieval musical notation?"

"Actually, yes I can. Flitwick taught a course in it my seventh year. I may be a bit rusty in it, but I kept my notes." He grimaced at the unintentional pun. She chuckled with him and he was amazed at how it gave him a pleasant sensation down his spine. He put the notes and manuscript away as their dinner was served.

During pudding, she presented him with his gift.

"Esmerelda, this is unnecessary!" he protested, a slight frown turning his face stern.

"Oh lighten up. I discovered it during one of my trips this autumn and it screamed 'buy me for Severus' so, I did. I don't expect anything back," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "Besides, this dinner is present enough." She pushed the package closer to him. "Now, open it!" she insisted, but with a slight mirth to her tone of voice.

He raised his eyebrows at her but reached for the package anyways. When the wrapping was off he discovered a potions kit, but one unlike any he had seen before.

"Where is this from?" he asked, opening it up and pulling bottles out to examine them.

"Do you like it? I discovered it in a wizard bazaar in Turkey. The ingredients are all those found only in that region of the world. There is a book that goes with it at the bottom. I went ahead and placed a translation charm on it."

Severus was amazed. Most Christmases he had no presents other than a yearly gift from Dumbledore, since he had started teaching. He was at a loss for words and therefore went for the simplest.

"Thank you, Esmerelda." He reached out and touched the hand that she had left on the table. A jolt of something akin to electricity shot up his fingers and he noticed that her hand jerked as well. He saw her blushing.

"I'm glad you like it," she murmured. All of a sudden the room felt very hot to her as she felt his gaze on her. She looked up and he caught her eyes with his as his fingers curled around hers. He slowly raised her hand up and placed a gentle kiss on her fingertips. Her breath caught in her throat and she was rapidly feeling the need to fan herself. He laid her hand back down on the table and she reached for her water glass hoping it would cool her down.

"Would you care to take a walk?" he asked, his voice low and mesmerizing. It sent thrills down her spine.

"I would love to!" That would do, she would let the snow cool her down. She let him help her with her cape and they headed out into the beautiful winter evening. There was no wind, and the snow still gently came down in big fluffy flakes that readily stuck to anything they touched, as they walked along the street towards a nearby park. Arm in arm they strolled along with other couples that were enjoying the fairy lights in the trees and the sounds of carolers floating in the air. Every now and then Severus would reach up with his free hand and dust the snow from her face.

She did not want the evening to end, but eventually they headed back towards the Leaky Cauldron.

Severus stopped before they had reached the entrance and she turned to him.

"Esmerelda, I need to let you know that this has been the most enjoyable Christmas Eve I have had in years," he told her quietly.

She shyly smiled up at him and impulsively stood on tiptoes to gently kiss his cheek. Now it was his turn to blush.

"I'm glad," she said simply. "I do, however, need to get back." She stepped away from him and started heading for the door. He kept pace with her as they entered the tavern and headed for the apparition point.

"You will let me know soon about your thoughts on my notes?" she asked.

"Of course. Most likely by New Years or the following week."

"Good." She had reached the apparition point.

"Severus, thank you for a marvelous evening. Happy Christmas!"

"Happy Christmas, Esmerelda," he told her and watched as she Disapparated, following shortly thereafter.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Notes flew back and forth between the two friends through the winter and spring. Severus had taken her observations of the original edition of _Moste Potente Potions_ and set up several experiments using the original ingredients that were noted in the book. Some of the ingredients had been difficult to obtain and he was beginning to believe that was the reason for many of the later substitutions. He was also beginning to believe that many of the substitutes were included to make up for the lack of the chants in the later editions. He wrote down these and other observations and sent them on to Esme, as he was coming to call her.

During the Easter break he set up a normal healing draught that he periodically made in large quantities for Madam Pomfrey. The beauty of the potion was that nothing had changed since the first edition except for the removal of the chant in later editions. This situation was rare he was beginning to find. Normally other ingredient changes took place as well.

He divided the first stage between three different cauldrons. The first he continued to brew in the normal manner, the second he chanted to during the halfway point and the third as he added the last ingredient. The chant was one notated for this potion in the original edition and after pouring over his old notes and re-checking with Professor Flitwick, he was sure he had come up with the correct way to perform the line. Unfortunately, the text did not indicate _when_ the chant was to be sung during the preparation: therefore, three cauldrons.

Labeling the batches as A, B, and C, he took the finished products to Pomfrey and let her know what he required: observations as to the effectiveness of the different varieties. She said she would let him know and bustled him out of the infirmary. He met up with Dumbledore in the corridor.

"Professor Snape! I was just looking for you."

"How may I assist you, Headmaster?" Snape asked as he kept pace with Dumbledore toward his office.

"Actually, I was keen to find out what you are up to these days? I've been noticing the amount of exotic mail birds you've been receiving at breakfast this year." He gave the password ("Licorice Wands") to the gargoyle and they ascended the spiral staircase. "Care to illuminate?"

_Not really, _thought Snape but he told the headmaster, "That, yes…well, I guess you could say I have a pen friend," he prevaricated as he sat down in the overly soft chair in front of Dumbledore's desk.

Dumbledore stepped behind his desk and offered his visitor a sweet, which Severus declined. "A pen friend, at your age?" His eyes twinkled as he sat down.

"An acquaintance," Snape elaborated with a slight nod of his head. "We are corresponding concerning some research with which I am assisting her."

"Her? Does this acquaintance have a name?" Stroking his beard, he sat back in his chair, a knowing smile on his face.

"Esmerelda Scott." _Here it comes, _he thought.

"Ah, Miss Scott – Minerva's niece, I believe?"

_You know bloody well she is._ However, he kept his silence and only inclined his head.

"And is Minerva aware that you've been corresponding with Miss Scott?" the headmaster asked, steepling his fingers.

"I haven't mentioned it to her and I doubt that Esmerelda has either."

"Be careful, son," Dumbledore said in a low but warning voice. "Minerva knows your past; does Miss Scott?"

"I don't know, it's never come up in conversation." _And I don't intend to __ever__ bring it up._

"It's good to have friends, Severus, and it's better when you can trust them. You and I have that type of relationship; do you want that with Miss Scott?" He gazed keenly at his potions master over the top of his glasses.

Severus was silent for a moment before he answered. He had learnt over the years that when his mentor asked him questions like these that it would do him well to answer as honestly as he could.

"Sir," he said slowly, "I think I could become very good – friends – with Miss Scott. She is very intelligent and straightforward and we have many of the same interests." He hesitated a moment, adding truthfully, " I am becoming very attracted to her."

Dumbledore smiled. "Have you discussed this with her?"

"Not yet, sir. I really don't know how she feels about me, other than our friendship. We have only met twice. It is mostly through correspondence that we keep in touch with each other."

Dumbledore was silent for a moment longer, nodding his head while considering the information Snape had just imparted. Feeling as if this line of questioning had come to its natural end, he switched tactics.

"What is she researching? I believe she works for the Ministry now, doing research projects. Minerva seemed to indicate that the last time we spoke. She is quite proud of Esme's accomplishments."

_Perfect, _Severus relaxed, _change of subject._ He proceeded to tell the headmaster of their current experimentation and where the ideas had come from. Dumbledore seemed very interested.

"You will let me know what Poppy says about the different formulations?"

"I will, sir. Also," he hated this next part of his life – but it was the price he had agreed to pay, four years previously, "I received a letter today from Lucius Malfoy inviting me to one of his get-togethers next weekend. I believe he is trying to get former Death Eaters together under the guise of his son's fifth birthday party. I assume you would like me to accept?" A child's birthday party was really the last thing he wanted to attend, even without the added pleasure of conversing with his former associates.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, I need to know what activities they are up to, now."

"Of course, sir," he said stiffly as he rose up from his chair. "If there is nothing else, I need to return to my office; I still have some essays to mark," he explained.

"Off you go then. And Severus – think about what I've said concerning Miss Scott. She could become a very valuable friend for you."

"I'll think about it, sir. Good evening."

"Good evening."

Walking through the corridors, Snape reflected on his conversation with the headmaster. Should he tell Esmerelda about his former activities? Would she understand? Or, more likely, would she repudiate him and their budding friendship for the mistakes he had made when he was a younger and definitely more foolish man? When he was honest with himself he recognised where he had gone wrong; the ache for power over his enemies, the elusive but tantalizing lust for control over his world.

The doubts continued to creep in as he descended the stairs leading to the dungeons. How could he hope that she would understand this secret of his, when he could barely stand to live with it himself. No, he decided, it would probably be best to keep it hidden, for now.

When he finally gave the password that opened his office, he found an eagle owl awaiting his return with a note. He untied it and reached for some owl treats he kept in his desk, bunging a few in her direction.

He unfolded the note as the owl munched.

Severus,

Do me a favour; don't send this owl off to the Owlery just yet.

I thought after getting to know you so well this past year, I better tell you one last little secret of mine. I hinted at it, a bit broadly to be sure, when we first met last summer. Remember when I told you that I got Aunt Minnie's transfiguration genes? I meant what I said. I am the last registered Animagus on the books – so far. This owl is my form.

"WHAT?" he boomed at the bird. She flew off, in the force of his blast, to stand on the seat of a chair and slowly before his eyes, flowed up into the form of his friend.

"'Lo, Severus," she finally said as she sat there primly waiting for him to explode some more. But he didn't; he just stood in stunned silence frowning down his nose at her.

She tried again, "Say something?"

"It took you nearly a year to tell me?" he spat out.

"Severus," she said evenly, "it is a matter of public record. It has been on the books since my fifth year." She took a breath. "I was a bit precocious like my Aunt," she explained, a tad apologetically.

"Why would I have a need to check the Animagus records?" he inquired, a bit snarkily.

"Och, I don't know," she said with a trace of exasperation in her own voice. "Look, I thought it was something you should know about me. I'm not bragging about it – but I do tend to tell my wizarding friends about it when I've known them awhile and I couldn't see treating you any different." She rose and started pacing.

Severus was actually taken aback by her reasoning. She considered him a good enough friend to share this secret. _Should I return the trust? Dumbledore obviously thinks I should._

"Well, if it's a night of honesty…" He braced himself mentally as she turned to look at him unbuttoning and rolling up the sleeve of his left arm to expose his forearm with its faint outline of the death mark. She came closer for a better look. He was astonished to see there was no revulsion in her face.

"Ah, so that's what one looks like," she said softly.

_Hunh?_

She noticed the look on his face as she straightened up and he re-buttoned the sleeve of his frock coat. "Severus, I knew of your _former_ affiliations before I met you last summer. I _am_ a ministry employee. I'm sure you would not remember; however, I was present in the courtroom when your name was brought before the Wizengamot and Dumbledore explained you had already turned spy for our side."

He was flummoxed again.

"You knew?" He tried to maintain his composure, but it was becoming very hard. "You knew and you never said or indicated…" His hand fluttered in the air as he was suddenly at a loss for words. She had known even when they had met last summer.

She came and sat on the corner of his desk facing him.

"I knew and it doesn't matter to me. What matters is the type of person you are towards me. And I really like that person," she said in a low voice full of conviction. He was silent as she laid her hands on his, his head bowed.

"Esme, why did you do this tonight?" he finally asked, raising his head to lock his dark eyes on her olive ones.

"Frankly?"

He nodded.

"I wanted to see the look on your face when I transformed," she laughed. "And it was worth it!"

A smile tried to crack through his severe pose at her sheer cheekiness. She cocked her head as she saw it and bent over to lay a soft kiss on his cheek, then dropped his hands after giving them a quick squeeze and paced around his room. She came to a stop where his music stand stood with an open, well-worn violin case on a small table next to it. The leather on the case showed it had seen a lot of use, and the sheen of the polish on the violin indicated loving care. She looked over at him.

"You play?"

"Some. Not in your caliber perhaps, but I enjoy it as a hobby," he admitted.

"Oh, I don't play the violin at all – that belongs to other friends of mine. I play the Viola De Gamba, a medieval precursor to the modern day violin family. However, they are fretted – which the violin is not. I've always preferred fretted instruments." She looked at music on the stand, a Strauss waltz. "Would you play for me? I'd love to hear you."

He was feeling better after his earlier talk with her and was more than willing to share this small part of himself with her – at least it was something they both loved. He rose, casting some silencing charms on the door and walls, so the sound would not leak out, and walked over to the music stand.

She relaxed in one of his wingbacks, kicking off her shoes, as he rosined his bow and tuned his violin. When he was satisfied, he waited a beat then began to play the waltz. Esme listened and watched him as he let himself go in the music, letting it flow over and around her. At the repeat, she surreptitiously recorded it with her wand. As he let the last notes fade away, she came over to stand near him. She plucked the instrument out of his hands, waved her wand to start the music and taking the hint, he gathered her in to waltz around the room together. The small space of his office made it a bit hard to keep from running into things, and if the waltz had been an energetic one, they probably would have ended up in Pomfrey's infirmary. Luckily, it was a slow dance and they were able to complete it without bodily harm.

Severus guided her nimbly, never letting her misstep. As the music neared its end, he found himself gazing into her eyes with a shy smile on his lips, and as before at Christmas, an electric spark ran through their hands and her face pinked up quite nicely. After the music was over, he held her a moment longer before letting her step away to resume her seat.

"How are the experiments coming along?" she asked, in an attempt to cover up the mildly awkward moment.

"They are going quite well. In fact I just took up three variations of a healing potion to Pomfrey earlier today and she is going to keep track of the efficacy of each one."

He proceeded to tell of the difference in each one and where he had sung the chant. They continued to talk for some time about his experiments and then on to other topics of common interests. She had ended up curled up in the armchair in front of his fire nursing a small glass of elf wine. She startled herself with a huge yawn.

"Oh, my – sorry! It is getting late," she said looking up at the carriage clock on his mantel.

"You aren't going to fly home tonight, are you?" he queried.

"Oh, not all the way, no. I'll just fly to the far side of Hogsmeade and Apparate from there. No problem; it is certainly quicker than walking out of here." She stretched out her legs and arms, wiggling her feet and hands to wake them back up. "Besides, we wouldn't want to startle the students or begin a scandal, now do we?"

"Are you sure?" he asked, deliberately ignoring the latter part of her statement, as it was dangerously close to what he wished he _could _do. But he did need to keep up appearances and while he knew there was an obvious attraction on both their parts, he was unsure as to whether she wanted a more physical relationship. Besides, he did not want to jeopardise their friendship.

"Positive. Look, I was going to ask you this later, but I might as well ask you now. What are you doing this summer?" she asked leaning over to pull her shoes back on her feet.

"Normally, I go air out my mother's house for a few weeks, then I come back here to stock and rotate inventory for the next year."

"Well, I wanted to see if you would like to take a real vacation for a week or two and visit me at the cottage?" She straightened back up, resting her elbows on her knees, a lopsided grin on her face.

_Maybe she is thinking this could be more than friendship. _"Let me think on it. I'll let you know before June," was all he said as he stood up to say farewell.

"Fair enough," she said rising from the chair. "I'd best be going." Before he could say anything she had transformed and had taken a short flight – hop to the casement of his window. He walked over and opened the leaded pane wide for her, pausing to run the back of his fingers over her chest to feel the softness of her feathers. She nibbled affectionately on his fingers for a moment before hooting softly at him and took off through the window into the starry sky above the castle.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_Esme,_

_I accept your offer for a vacation this summer. Shall we meet for lunch at the LC and then go on to your place? Would 1 July be a problem?_

_SS_

Severus sent the owl with a sense of growing anticipation. When was the last time he had taken an actual holiday; during his school days as a boy? He couldn't remember. Staying at Esme's place? He normally would not take such a risk; her Gryffindorness must be rubbing off on him.

He returned to his desk to start marking the essays he had collected that week from his third years. What a bunch of dunderheads! He picked up his red marking quill and started slashing away. After an hour of this satisfying activity he heard a soft knock on his office door. He sighed; he was just getting on a roll.

"Enter," he said without looking up.

"Professor?" An older witch opened the door and entered, carrying a large sheaf of scrolls.

"Madam Pomfrey?" What could she be doing down here in the dungeons?

"You asked me to make observations of the effectiveness of those three healing draughts?" she reminded him.

He pricked up at this. "Yes! You have results?" He sat his quill down and indicated that she take a seat across from him. She took it with a repressed sigh.

"Most definitely. I've written up my findings for you here." She handed him the thickly rolled scroll.

"Which version worked the best?" he inquired, taking a quick perusal of the contents.

"Version C was the best, Professor. May I ask what made the difference?"

"I'm not at liberty to say yet, but when I am, I'll let you know. Thank you, Madam Pomfrey; this is a great boon to the research project. I'll make sure that your name is included in the monograph when it gets written up, and I'll make up more of the third variety for you before the summer holidays," he offered.

"I appreciate that, Professor." She visibly preened at the veiled compliment. "I need to get back to the infirmary, Charlie Weasley got bludgered badly at the match today." She shook her head as she rose from the chair, tsking under her breath.

Severus let a small sneer cross his features as he walked her to his office door. The holidays were not going to come soon enough.

July first found Esme seated at a table at the Leaky Cauldron reading that day's _Daily Prophet_. The headlines today included: "New Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge takes office", "Half price sale at Gladrags", "Celebrate with the colonists – July 4th whiz-bang sales at Zonko's".

"Excuse me, Miss, is this seat taken?" a smooth silky voice said in front of her.

"I'm saving it…" She looked up and a smile lit her face, "…for you, Severus!" she said folding up her paper and signaling to the waitress.

Severus laid his travel bag and violin case on the floor and placed his lunch order to the hovering girl.

"Glad to get out of the castle?" Esme asked.

"You have no idea." He sighed. "Anything of interest in the _Prophet_ today?"

"Just Fudge taking office."

His old sneer came back in full force.

"What? Don't you like him?"

"An ineffectual ministry official. He'll end up bumbling it, mark my word."

"I thought I was the one who got premonitions," she scoffed.

"Do you? Well, that wasn't a premonition. It was a calculated observance," he said as he started on his sandwich and tea after it had appeared on the table. "Do you really get premonitions?" he asked curiously.

"On occasion, normally in dreams. I started keeping track of them in school. They aren't very earth shattering and come very far and few between. Usually they are about people I personally know," she said as she picked out what she considered inedible items in her salad before pouring some dressing over the remaining greens. The cook always insisted on putting capsicums in his salads and she couldn't stand them. She offered them in a small gesture to her dining companion and he gladly added them to his plate.

"What does your Aunt think about it?" he asked, knowing Minerva's abhorrence of divination in general.

"About the same as I do. I think it is a very inexact science and most divinators are big frauds. I've heard her go on about that divination teacher you have now, Trelawney. She sounds like she falls in the fraud category; constantly predicting students' deaths." Severus only made a non-committal noise as he ate a chip. "But I don't go into a seeing trance at all. I'll just get a very detailed dream that I remember quite clearly when I awake. When I started noticing that things I had recently dreamed were coming true, I decided I'd better keep track of them." She shrugged and continued making inroads through her salad.

He finished his sandwich and reached for his case bringing out the scroll Pomfrey had given him. "I have the results of the experiment I conducted at Easter."

She eagerly unrolled the scroll and glanced over the results.

"It worked! This is fantastic! Thank her for me when you see her again."

He nodded. "I will," he said placing the scroll back in his case for safekeeping; they would go over the results in more detail at the cottage. "Are you ready?"

"Yes!" After leaving a few galleons on the table, they grabbed their packages and bags and headed to the apparition point. Severus took her proffered arm letting her guide the Apparition to her cottage.

They Apparated on the edge of a dense wood and he saw a small field in front of him full of waving moor grasses and shrubs and across from there a medium cottage set amid a bright, colourful garden behind a stone fence. He could see a village in the distant valley below.

He followed her across the meadow to the stile gate and through the garden to the mudroom of the house and further into the kitchen.

"Here, I'll show you where the guest room is," she said as she led him up a narrow but airy flight of stairs to the second story set under the eaves. "The loo is over here, towels are in that basket. My magical study is through that door and here is the guest room."

She opened the door to a surprisingly comfortable room. A large bed dominated one corner with a clothes press across from it. In the window niche was a squashy chair and ottoman and a small table with a hurricane lamp on it, filled with oil, the wick neatly trimmed.

"I'll let you get settled. You might want to change into something lighter – your blacks are going to get very hot, this isn't the dungeons!" she jested.

He set his cases down on the bed, a bit out of his element.

"Severus?"

"Hmmm?" He felt her come beside him and looked down at her. She placed a hand on his forearm. "I'm glad you decided to come."

She reached up, gave him a quick kiss on his cheek, and hurried out of the room. He looked at her retreating form with a bemused expression on his face before he began to unpack and change to lighter clothes.

Soon he was downstairs dressed in a light linen button down tucked into muggle trousers. She gave him a tour of the rest of the house.

Off of the huge country kitchen, which doubled as her dining area, he discovered her parlour. This contained nearly wall-to-wall bookcases stuffed with muggle texts ranging from history to fiction with many reference volumes interspersed. He had already snuck a look at her workroom upstairs, which almost mirrored this one in the sheer number of volumes. Those, however, were all magical in subject matter.

The parlour was dominated by a large bay window, complete with window seats, at the opposite end that looked out over the moor and valley beyond. A door on one of the walls led to her bedroom with an attached bath.

"That's it. I need to let you know the village children come up here for lessons in piano and voice during the week and my quartet meets on Saturday afternoons. You are more than welcome to sit and listen in, or hole up in the upstairs study or go for a walk. I won't feel slighted." Smiling, she led him back into the kitchen and conjured up a cup of tea for herself.

"Do you want anything?" she asked.

"I'm fine. Are the students and quartet mage born?"

"No, all muggles. Problems?"

"Not at all, I just wondered." While in school he had to pretend to be of the pureblood-or-no-blood mindset; privately his views had drastically changed over the years. Seeing the depravity of Voldemort and the other Death Eaters in general could do that to a fellow.

"While my father's family has been here for centuries, we are pretty much the only wizards in the area," she said setting her mug down on the table and pulling up a chair near him. "The lessons don't take a lot of time, so the rest of my time is yours. Was there anything you wanted to do in particular while here?"

"Just relax," he said with a small smile in her direction.

"Good. We have some daylight left, shall I show you outside?"

They made their way out to the garden to enjoy the sunset.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The week went quicker than either of them would have liked. Severus soon discovered that the lessons were torture to his trained ears. _Merlin, was I __tha__t bad at that age?_ He took to tramping into the woods with a good book and a few apples in his cardigan pockets. He had discovered a delightful glen further in and had conjured a chair and table to rest in and read. Some days he wandered the woods searching for potions ingredients. These woods were full of many ingredients that he preferred to use as fresh as he could get them. Esme had let him clean up an old workroom of her fathers in the cellar to prepare them. Oddly enough, the room looked as if it had been a potions lab at one time. Some evenings, they worked together setting up potions experiments using her research from the previous year. While her potions expertise was not up to his level, she was an adequate lab assistant and he found that he enjoyed the camaraderie they were developing together.

Saturday was another matter entirely. He decided to stay and listen to the quartet's practice. He ensconced himself in one of Esme's wing-backed chairs near the fireplace, that he had appropriated as his favourite during the week, and pretended to be interested in a muggle history book so as not to distract them. The text was atrociously wrong concerning several aspects of the timeline in question, and he scoffed silently to himself as he mentally inserted the wizard version of the events. But his mind was only half paying attention to the text.

In truth, he was fascinated by how Esme led the group of musicians. Primarily they played Medieval and Renaissance music, and all were accomplished musicians on more than one instrument; Esme herself could play – by her count – eight different instruments as well as having a superb soprano voice. The others were equally as versatile. It made for a delightful and interesting session as he listened to them taking the music apart and putting it back together with new nuances and instrumentations. It taught him how little he really knew about the world of music.

He studied the group as they practiced. Esme acted the leader, giving the upbeats and collecting their attention to keep them together. She was very subtle; she would gather their eyes to her and with a slight intake of breath and jerk of her head, she could start them off precisely. Dave was her second in command. A wavy haired gentleman, his long fingers danced across any instrument he picked up. He had a quick grin that lit up his face, and was a constant jokester. But when he stepped into the music, he was a professional and played with such passion, Severus could understand why Esme had been taken in with this musician. His partner, Maddie, was a tiny thing, but bright and cheerful and played drums and woodwinds as if they were just an extension of her natural self. Maeve was a pretty redhead with a beautiful alto voice that complimented well with Esme's. She could also play just about any stringed instrument you put into her hand.

Traditionally, Esme cooked supper afterwards and this night was no different. Normally she was an indifferent cook, he had discovered, tending to cook plain but hearty fare; but she tended to put her best foot forward with more people around. He supposed that when she was just cooking for herself, she truly did not care as long as it was edible and provided nourishment, and when she was on the road for her job she tended to eat out most times and did not frequent the better dining establishments; a ministry employee's expense account did not cover much.

He offered to help but she shooed him away with a whispered "You are a guest, too. This is _my_ pleasure. If you could go into the cellar though and choose a good wine to go with the pasta; I am hopeless when it comes to matching wine to food."

"White or red sauce?"

"Never knew it mattered!" she said chuckling at his exasperated look. "Ahhh, red – tomato."

He nodded and headed to the cellar. Her father had set in a large store of muggle and wizard varieties – which she rarely touched. He decided he was going to have to educate her palate in the future. He found a Chianti Classico from a good year and headed back up the stairs.

When he returned the kitchen table was set and the Lasagna was coming out of the oven. A salad had materialised from the refrigerator.

Severus kept quiet listening to the conversation ebb and flow around him only speaking when a question was directed at him. Mostly about what he did, ("Chemistry Teacher") how he knew Esme, ("From school") and was he enjoying his holiday, ("Quite").

The evening soon wrapped up though and they were seeing the group to the door.

As Esme cleared the kitchen and set her scouring pad to work, Severus poured the last of the wine into their glasses and taking her hand, led her to the divan in the parlor. She curled up in one corner sipping her wine blissfully.

"What did you think of the afternoon?" she finally asked him.

"Very impressive. How did you meet them?"

"Oh, here and there. Mostly while walking through Oxford Commons one afternoon. They were playing outside – well, Dave and Maddie were. He was playing the most divine Celtic fiddle music I had heard in ages. Maddie was playing the boran to keep the beat going. I was hooked from the start – especially after they started playing something that I knew the lyrics for and started singing along! We picked up Maeve a little later. Every summer we get together here on Saturdays and at the end of the summer we give a little recital in London. You ought to come," she insisted.

"I believe I will if I can get away."

He slowly reached for the hand she had laid across the back of the sofa and gently rubbed his thumb across the back of it before entwining his fingers with hers. Again that electric spark passed between them and he saw the heat rise in her face. He placed his glass on the table in front of them and picking the glass out of her hand, repeated the manoeuvre. Her knees slowly came down as she leaned towards him.

"Severus…" she murmured, eyes bright with anticipation.

"Shhhh…" He placed a finger on her lips. Removing her eyeglasses, he gathered her to him, lightly kissing her. Gods, she tasted good! The sweet taste of the wine was on her lips and he drank her in, his hands coming up to cradle her face. Hers were sliding over his shoulders and around his neck and he felt one hand tangling itself in his hair as he deepened his kiss, teasing her mouth open with his tongue. He groaned deep in his throat as her hands unbuttoned his shirt and found their way across his chest, her embrace melting into him.

He started dropping kisses down along her neck and shoulders as his fingers fumbled with her blouse. He pulled back a moment and caught her gaze with his.

"Am I going too fast?" he asked her softly.

"No," she groaned. She caught his hand and led him to her bedroom, a trail of clothes following them. Severus laughed in sheer joy.

The next morning he found her curled up against him, one hand draped around his chest. It was the best sleep he'd had in years.

The following week was essentially the same as the first with the added benefit of lovemaking in the evenings. Several afternoons were spent walking along the moor together hand in hand or exploring the woods, while some evenings they indulged in duets – exploring the music and themselves, together.

One afternoon, they were sitting in the garden on an old steamer lounge that Esme had expanded to fit two. Once again, Severus was reading an old potions book he had found in her upstairs library.

"Severus, what is so fascinating in my potions books?" she mock chided, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

"Just that you have several volumes I've never seen." He placed a finger between the pages and looked down at her. "I've been meaning to ask you that. Why do you have so many potions books and why is there an old potions lab in your cellar? You don't really study potions outside of what is needed for your research, do you?"

"No, I don't," she admitted. "They were my father's. About half of my library was handed down to me from my parents and theirs to them. I never told you about my parents?"

"I don't believe so. I just know that Minerva is your only relative."

"Well, she is on the McGonagall side. The short and sweet of it is this: my father was a potions master, one of Slughorn's original apprentices. After Hogwarts, Slughorn got him into University of Edinburgh to study Muggle Chemistry and he received his PhD in Analytical Chemistry when he was twenty-three. He was a brilliant man, a bona-fide genius. He worked for the ministry in their Potions department dreaming up new potions and experimenting. In my third year, You-Know-Who had him and my mother kidnapped to force them to work for Him and to reveal secrets of my father's work for the Ministry. They committed suicide instead."

She looked off towards the village. The ache of retelling the story was old and it no longer caused her to cry when she did recite the tale. She could feel Severus' arms come around her waist to hug her close in sympathy. "So, Aunt Minerva has raised me since I was thirteen."

"I'm sorry, it must have been hard for you. I'm surprised you were willing to talk to me last July," he marvelled.

She looked up at him quickly, a steely glint in her eye. She definitely reminded him of McGonagall, at times. "You didn't kill them! I lay that blame solely at the feet of that madman. I judge a person by how they treat me, Severus, not by their past deeds. I know you committed atrocities in the past, and I know from hints in your letters and what Albus spoke about at your trial, that you still have to do things to stay in the good graces of Malfoy and his thugs. But Dumbledore – whom I love like an Uncle – vouched for you. I trust him implicitly and that vouchsafe was good enough for me. Last July, you didn't condescend to me – you treated me as an equal, a colleague of sorts. Trust me when I tell you, I don't get that at the Ministry so it was quite refreshing coming from you."

Her look softened as she snuggled deeper into his arms. "Da would have liked you, I think," she murmured.

"I think I would have liked him, too," he said softly. "You seemed to indicate there are relatives alive on your father's side of the family?"

"Aye, cousins several times removed. I even have one that works for the American Navy – I believe – on a nuclear aircraft carrier - the Enterprise. He is the chief engineer."

"Is he a squib?"

"Och, no. He just likes nuclear engines. He loves working with them, calls them his babies. He reminds me of a wizard in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, Arthur Weasley. He just loves playing around with muggle things. But whereas Arthur has no clue as to what the objects are or how they work, Cousin Monty is quite conversant. He has to be, to work in the Navy. He has a whole houseful of kids and most of them are engineer-bent, just like him. He had me transfigure a wand of his into some sort of tool he uses everyday so he could apply magic to the engines when no-one is looking."

Severus just shook his head in incredulity as Esme giggled at the look on his face. He finally reopened his book and started back where he had left off.

Saturday found Dave and Maddie sick with the flu so the rehearsal was cancelled. It was just as well since a summer storm blew up and they spent the afternoon curled up on the divan, reading companionably and listening to the storm raging outside.

Their last night together was bittersweet in its lovemaking and Severus found himself wishing he could stay a lot longer, but knowing he couldn't.

On his last morning, she cooked breakfast and helped him find all his belongings that had been scattered around the cottage over the last two weeks. He changed back into his black frock and took his bags into the kitchen, setting them on the table. Coming up behind her, he gently enfolded her in his arms, kissing the top of her head as she leaned back into his embrace.

"You'll think about August?"

"I'll try, Esme. I can't guarantee anything so don't be upset with me if I'm unable to get away," he gentled chided her.

"I won't. I'll owl you the address, later, though – just in case."

He raised his eyebrows at her. She took the hint.

"No, I won't come myself. I'll send Kyle." Kyle was her post owl.

He nodded at her and after kissing her one last delicious time, he grabbed his cases and walked outside to the apparition point and was soon gone.

As it happened, he was able to go to the recital. When he had returned to Hogwarts, the headmaster had insisted upon hearing about his holiday and Severus had mentioned the possibility of the recital.

"Of course you should go," Dumbledore said. "As much as she supports you, you need to do the same for her, my boy. It is part of that trust between people who are as close as the two of you are becoming," he said as he waved away Severus' protestations. "I'd be an old fool if I didn't recognise the symptoms, son. You're falling in love."

Severus couldn't deny it.

Thus it was a warm August night that Professor Snape found himself in a muggle casual suit again, walking down a London street to the recital hall. Many people were already there and more were coming in behind him. He was proud of the turnout for Esmerelda's sake. It was a testament to her group's capabilities and popularity. This was the only concert they gave each year and he could tell by the buzz around him that it was well anticipated.

He handed the ticket she had owled him to the doorman and was sent down the aisle to the front row. As he sat he noticed that the stage dressing (more like a platform, than a full-out stage) consisted of four chairs and racks of instruments around them. Oriental carpets were scattered on the platform adding color and ambience.

At eight o'clock the house lights dimmed and the quartet came on stage and took their places. The concert was a rousing success. Everyone enjoyed the switching of instruments and the variety of the music. They played everything from traditional chamber music to Celtic reels and several new pieces written by Dave, the resident composer.

Severus made his way backstage afterwards to congratulate Esme and her friends. He was greeted warmheartedly by the rest of the quartet who remembered him. He eventually found Esme near a table laden with food and drinks and opened a water for her.

"Thanks!" she said after taking a long swig. "Those lights dry me out every year. Did you like it?"

"It was superb. I even liked Dave's compositions," he said in a deadpan voice.

She laughed good-naturedly and came to him for a quick hug and kiss. "Can you stay long enough to grab a bite to eat after this shindig is over? Dave and Maddie collect my instruments for me after the concert to store them. I get them back in June. This way I don't have to pack up."

"Of course."

"Good. This is winding down, just let me get my wrap and we can leave!"

She hurried through the crowd and was soon back carrying her wrap and her purse. Severus helped place the wrap around her shoulders, grabbing a quick nibble below her ear as he did so, and they left for the cool night air.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The next eight years followed the same routine. Severus came out during the summer before travelling on to his house at Spinner's End. August found him attending the recital before ensconcing himself in academics for the rest of the year.

Sometimes Esme would wing her way to Hogwarts, avoiding her Aunt when she did so. Severus had guessed that the conversation with Dumbledore during that first Easter had been due to the Headmaster recognising her owl form when she had flown to Severus' window, and Dumbledore had verified it when Severus confronted him.

It was a quiet sort of relationship, very comfortable for the two of them and it took into account both of their busy schedules. They loved when they could and corresponded the rest of the time. The students were used to seeing the professor accept messages from exotic birds now. The other teachers only knew he had someone, or several someones, that he corresponded with, but he never let them know who it was and after being scowled at just for asking, they let the subject die a whimpering death.

Periodically, the two of them got together at Christmas as long as she wasn't embroiled in some research out of the country. Even if they could not meet, they always exchanged gifts.

Severus got into the habit of finding unique gifts for her Christmas presents, which she cherished. One memorable Christmas, he obtained a part Kneazle - part Siamese kitten from Hogsmeade. It was the runt of the litter and Severus knew Esme would fall in love with it. She did and she immediately christened it Casey.

"Casey?" he asked, enjoying watching her play on the floor with the kitten as it batted the end of her plait she was teasing it with.

"Not the _word_ 'Casey'," she explained. "The initials K.C."

_This ought to be good. _"And they stand for…" And then he got it and they simultaneously said "Kitty Cat."

She smiled sweetly at him as he groaned.

During the intervening years Malfoy was starting to gather up the old crowd again and Dumbledore insisted upon Severus staying in close contact with them. Time after time he was expected to attend clandestine meetings that Malfoy held; sitting quietly in a dark corner, sipping wine and listening to them speak of their delusions of grandeur. Periodically he would hear an interesting rumour of dark happenings in Europe, disappearances that were not quite what they seemed, most of which centered in the Black Forest and in Albania. He dutifully passed this and all information gathered at the meetings on to the Headmaster. When the Death Eaters' sons started showing up at school as students he found himself forced into showing even more favouritism toward his House so that he could demonstrate his seeming loyalty to the remaining Death Eaters. This all tended to put him in an increasingly sour mood.

Then Potter arrived.

That seemed to say it all. The brat was the spitting image of his father with the green eyes of his mother that haunted him daily, twisting the knife of fate ever deeper into the old wounds of his psyche.

Esmerelda did not like it when he wrote about his dislike for most of the students, so he attempted to restrain his rants to incidents rather than individuals. Somehow, though, most of the incidents did involve a lot of the same individuals, and much as he tried – he had no control over that problem.

As far as he was concerned, though, her job with the Ministry needed to come to an end. Her letters were constantly mentioning her exhaustion and lack of departmental support. As the years passed, he noted that they seemed to be sending her on more and more dangerous "research" assignments. And really, research was not supposed to be that dangerous. She was constantly telling him stories of how she had narrowly escaped one disaster after another. He was never entirely sure what the Ministry wanted her to research; it was if she was an extension of the Unspeakables and he could tell it was taking a toll on her health.

The summer after the Basilisk in the castle had been destroyed (by Saint Potter) found Severus outside the cottage door wondering why Esme hadn't come out to meet him, as was usual.

He cautiously opened the kitchen door, wand at the ready, and stepped into chaos. Dishes were everywhere, the cauldron was boiling over, and the place was an utter mess. It looked like a magical cyclone had gone through, smashing and tossing furniture, books, clothes - anything and everything. He moved to get the cauldron off the magical fire and vanished the contents and the flames before looking around some more. The air was stale with overcooked food and the smell of sickness.

The trail of destruction led into the parlour. He followed it calling her name when he heard a thump and moan coming from the bedroom and rushed over to open the door. He found her unconscious on the floor, having apparently fallen out of the bed. Casey was sniffing her face and taking swipes at her nose with his tongue.

Severus gently picked her up and placed her back on the bed. _Merlin's beard, she must be down three stone!_ He quickly assessed the situation. She was burning up with fever, her breathing was laboured and congested and her skin was mottled red and white. There was evidence of her vomiting as well. This room, too, appeared trashed. He knew the signs and symptoms and also knew he needed to get her care quickly, but flooing her to St. Mungo's or Hogwarts was out of the question. It would just make matters worse.

He summoned a cool cloth to wipe her down, changed her nightgown and did quick cleaning charms on her, the bed, and the rest of the room. She moaned in her delirium and tossed back and forth on the bed. He tried a cooling charm on her in an attempt to bring her fever down, but her magic bounced the charm back to ricochet around the room, tossing things around that he had just finished straightening. He decided to use the cloth again and freshening it, laid it on her forehead to help cool her down while he went to the fireplace in the parlour. Casey hopped onto the bed as he left and lay down on Esme's chest, purring and staring into his mistress' face as if willing her to wake up.

Throwing some powder into her grate, Severus announced, "Dumbledore's office," and stuck his head into the fire. He was in luck that the headmaster was still behind his desk.

"Severus, what's the matter? You just left." Dumbledore walked to the fireplace when he heard the professor call for him.

"Esme – Dragon Flu – very advanced. Need medicines from Pomfrey's office," he snapped out.

"Of course. Go on back, son, I'll bring them straight away. Poppy's already left for her grandchildren's…" but Severus had already popped out of the fire.

Dumbledore hurried to the Infirmary and located the potions and salves that his potions master would need. Reducing them for carrying and stuffing them in his robe pockets, he rushed back to his office and flooed to Miss Scott's cottage.

Absently wiping the soot off, he crossed the room to the open door where he heard Severus murmuring charms over her.

"How is she?" he inquired, handing the bottles to Snape.

"Not good. She's been unconscious the entire time and I don't know how long this has been going on. She's been complaining of being exhausted all year. The last message I had from her was a month ago. She is throwing off every cooling charm I try to place on her." He indicted the mess in the room with a waved hand. "Apparently she is unable to control her magic."

He _accio-_ed a cup from the kitchen and began to dribble the potions, one by one, into her mouth. Nothing happened at first and he started wondering if he had misdiagnosed.

No, there was a shudder. Her breathing was becoming less ragged and her limbs started to relax. As he watched, the flush on her skin began to diminish and take on a normal hue. He tried a cooling charm again, this time it adhered.

Dumbledore silently handed him the salves and he began to apply them to her parched skin.

"The fever's going down," Severus noted some time later. "She's starting to feel cooler."

"We got to her in time then," Albus said. Looking around the room and not seeing a chair he drew one up out of thin air and got Severus to sit down. "She'll be fine now, but I can almost guarantee she won't wake for another day or two. I'm going to send over one of the school elves to help you."

Severus just nodded, keeping one of her hands caught in his while his eyes were glued to her face.

Dumbledore cleared his throat to catch the teacher's attention. "I think Minerva should know…" he started.

Snape snapped his black eyes to the headmaster, shaking his head vehemently. "No, I can tend to her with the elf. Minerva does not need to know about this – not right now," he paused. "Sir, she does not know about us."

"After nine years!" Dumbledore was incredulous.

"It's never come up! And Esme never told her either," he sighed, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. "Sir – Albus – please, don't tell her. Esmerelda can let her know after she's recovered. By then I'll be gone from here if Minerva feels the urge to visit."

"Alright, I'll abide by your wishes for now, since she is out of danger." He walked over to Severus' chair, laying a hand on the other mans shoulder in commiseration. "I'll go send an elf over. Give her more potions every three hours until she wakes up."

"Thank you, sir, for everything." He had reclaimed Esme's hand. Dumbledore gave the shoulder another squeeze and walked out to the parlour's fireplace.

A few minutes later a Hogwarts house elf appeared beside the bed.

"What's your name, elf?" Severus asked wearily.

"Wizby, Professor, Sir," she said with awe making her bulbous eyes even larger. "I'm to help you care for your Essie." She started looking around the room. "I is starting by cleaning, Professor, Sir?"

"Yes. And after that, a tray of tea," he said as he stood up. "I'm going to go unpack. She should stay asleep, but if anything happens come upstairs and get me immediately." He scowled down at the elf to impress upon her this request. She backed up a step, clearly overwhelmed by this menacing professor.

"Of course, Professor, Sir," she said nodding to him as she began to quietly clean the room.

He headed upstairs to the guestroom. Ever since that first summer visit he had kept his things in her room. With her so ill, though, he felt it was probably better to sleep upstairs for the time being. _If I even get any sleep._

He could hear Wizby cleaning downstairs and sent a heartfelt thank you to his headmaster for the forethought.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Two days later, Severus was still sitting in the chair by her bed waiting for her to awake. A barely touched tea tray sat on a low table nearby alongside his violin. He had thought that hearing the music, even subconsciously, might help bring her back sooner. Her face had taken on a more relaxed look during his playing, but she still remained unconscious. The music had calmed his nervousness though, so he had continued on and off. Right now he was reading one of her magical texts from upstairs.

Esme had turned several times in her sleep and the fever had broken early on. Every three hours Severus had dutifully administered the potions and rubbed the salves into her skin. He glanced at the clock on her bedside table. He still had another hour before her next dose. He could hear the house-elf puttering in the kitchen getting supper ready. He settled further into the chair and resumed his reading. A soft sound from the bed, however, grabbed his attention.

She was awake.

"Shhh, don't try to talk. Drink some water first." He filled up a glass from the pitcher nearby and helped her sit up. "Sip it slowly," he coached.

She sipped some water and cleared her throat.

"What happened?" she finally croaked out.

"Dragon flu," he said resuming his seat in the chair, but sitting forward to hold her hand. "Do you remember anything?" he asked as he smoothed some hair back from her face, his black eyes drinking her in.

She shook her head and sank back into the pillows.

"I've had a cough for weeks, and I've been so tired lately. I do remember coming home and starting some dinner."

"What day was that?" he urged.

She thought hard, still a bit befuddled. "The twenty-eighth? I think." She sipped some more. "I don't remember much after that. I kept hearing you calling me though."

"Probably when I arrived on the first; you fell out of bed."

"How long since then?" she asked, a bit alarmed.

"It's the third now," he said as he rearranged the blankets around her and perched near her on the bed. "We got to you just in time."

"We?"

"Dumbledore helped me obtain the potions I needed to break through…" He paused as he heard a scurry near the door.

"Professor, Sir. Your Essie is awake?" It was Wizby, poking her head around the corner.

"Yes, Wizby. Would you get some broth for Miss Esme?" The little elf jumped for joy and ran back to the kitchen.

"A house-elf, Severus?"

"From Hogwarts. Dumbledore sent her over to help."

What he was saying was slowly filtering into her fogged brain.

"Dumbledore knows about us? What about my Aunt?"

"Only Dumbledore and Wizby know. Actually, Dumbledore has known about us for years – part of the relationship he and I have. Ahhh, he recognised your Owl form that first time," he admitted. "Your Aunt is still unaware of us though and does not even know you've been sick."

Relief crossed her face. She didn't care about Albus knowing, he always seemed to know everything anyways. Her Aunt was another matter; Esme was unsure as to how McGonagall would take her relationship with Severus. She had been putting off her Aunt's matchmaking endeavours for years now. They always entailed some Gryffindor or Ravenclaw that her Aunt thought perfect for her niece. A Slytherin was probably very far from Minerva's list of appropriate types of suitors. Then another thought came to her and she groaned, "Lessons…"

"Shhh, don't worry. Dave came by when he hadn't heard from you and he took word to the village that lessons were cancelled for the nonce. Apparently Dave and Maddie have also found a new permanent job with a muggle show called 'Riverdance' that is starting up. He said he would tell you about it when you were feeling better."

"Oh. Well, that's great for them," she said a bit flatly. It appeared as if the quartet was breaking up. Maybe she should have stayed asleep.

"And you received a letter from the ministry today." He took the envelope from her night table and handed it to her. She pushed it back to him.

"You read it. My eyes are getting tired." She closed them, settling further into the pillows. Definitely, going back to sleep was the better option.

He nodded and opened the envelope, pulling out two pieces of official Ministry stationary.

"From the Office of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge 

_To Miss Esmerelda Scott._

_We regret to inform you that with the recent reorganisation of the departments within the Ministry, your job was found to be redundant and we are no longer in need of your services."_

"I've been sacked!" She sat up, startled, feigning sleep forgotten.

"Apparently." He continued on with the letter, ignoring her mumblings.

"We have taken the liberty to credit your account at Gringotts with your last pay and two months' severance. Enclosed is a letter of recommendation for future employment. 

_Sincerely,_

_Cornelius Fudge"_

She started cursing quite fluently in several languages. Severus was impressed. He was unaware she knew that many! But this took care of the bad job situation. He was secretly pleased – he wished he could claim credit for it, but the letter was legit.

"Miss Essie shouldn't yell. Miss Essie needs to drink her broth and rest her lungs!"

Wizby had re-entered with a large cup of broth. Severus took it from her and handed it to Esme.

"You are absolutely correct, Wizby, Miss Esme _does_ need to rest her lungs or she'll have a _relapse_." He glared menacingly at Esme. It always worked on the students. She didn't seem impressed, but she quieted down nevertheless.

"And Professor, Sir needs to sleep, too. Right after dinner!" The small elf stamped her foot before she turned around and stalked back out to the kitchen with Casey following in her wake, tail high and probably hoping for handouts. He was considering Wizby his new best friend.

Esme looked at Severus, "You haven't been sleeping?"

"Been keeping an eye on you. Now drink your broth, I'm going to owl Albus and let him know you're awake." He bent down to place a kiss on her forehead. As he straightened up he stroked her face lovingly with the back of his fingers. "You don't know how relieved I am you woke up. You had me scared to death!" he admitted.

As he passed through the kitchen, Wizby told him his dinner would be ready momentarily and Professor, Sir better eat it.

He glowered in her direction – really, she was a bold elf – but she just cocked her head at him with her hands on her hips as if to say 'You don't fool me, Professor, Sir.' He huffed and continued out to the garden to get Esme's resident owl Kyle.

When he returned, dinner was being set at the long table for him.

"I'll be right back, Wizby. I'm going to check on Miss Esme." He ignored the huff he heard from the elf.

He found her sound asleep and half of the broth gone. At least this was a real sleep; she was curled up on her side, pillows scrunched under her neck – just as she liked it. He sent the dishes to the kitchen and tucked the comforter closer around her shoulders.

"Severus?" So she wasn't really asleep yet.

"Hmmm?"

"Don't leave me tonight," she said in a sleepy voice, without opening her eyes.

"I won't, dear. I'm just going to eat my dinner and I'll be right back."

She nodded and snuggled further into the covers.

He bolted his dinner, much to Wizby's further annoyance, and hurried back to the bedroom. Slipping into the pyjamas he had _Accio_-ed from the guestroom, he curled up next to his beloved and held her in his arms as they both slept through the night and most of the following morning.

Several days later Esme was allowed to sit outside in her garden as long as she was well wrapped up. Wizby was still in residence handling the cooking and cleaning; Dumbledore's instructions were that she was to stay there indefinitely.

Severus didn't mind as it meant he could concentrate on getting Esmerelda better. Today was a case in point. She was well enough to sit in her garden and soak in the sun while he quietly read to her. He had her tucked into the old steamer lounge with a lap rug across her legs and an old tartan shawl of Minerva's around her shoulders.

"Severus, what do I do now?" she asked him, wistfully.

He marked his place in the book with his finger and looked up. "How so?"

"No job," she said simply.

"Keep teaching those tone-deaf students of yours," he said acerbically.

She chuckled. "I suppose they are, aren't they? I'm just so used to going to work at the end of the summer…"

"I'm serious. Teach. Music," he emphasised. "Or, hire yourself out as a research assistant."

"Hmm, that's a thought." She leered up at him. "Maybe you should hire me?"

"Too distracting. Nothing would ever get done and my reputation as a hard arse would go up in dragon flames." He smirked.

She laughed some more. "Very true. How is the double spy business going?"

"Roughly. Something is definitely getting ready to gear up. I'm not sure what though. Malfoy is not being entirely chatty about things."

"Do you think He is attempting to come back?"

He nodded slowly. "I think so, as does the Headmaster. The Dark Lord tried, with the help of Quirrell, to get the Philosopher's stone last year. This year, Lucius snuck in an enchanted diary of Riddle's that possessed a student forcing her to reopen Salazar Slytherin's secret chamber, releasing a Basilisk and nearly killing her by draining her of her life energy. So, yes, I think he is trying all sorts of different means to try and come back." Esme's eyes grew wide as he told her this, the blood draining from her face.

"A Basilisk lived in the school?"

He nodded his head. "Apparently for quite a long time. It appears that this creature was responsible for Myrtle's death fifty years ago."

"Moaning Myrtle?" She was incredulous.

An owl flew towards them at that point and landed by Esme's hand. It was the _Daily Prophet_. She paid the owl and opened up the paper.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed.

"What is it…" He looked over her shoulder and let out a long, loud string of curses.

"How the hell did he escape?" Snape yelled. His face was red now with anger. This was the worst she had ever seen him.

"Severus, what is it? I know it's bad but not that bad, is it?"

"Just the worst killer in a decade who just happens to be Potter's Godfather."

"Oh. How do you know that?"

"What, that he's Potter's Godfather? Albus told me years ago." He cursed again then started to calm down as he considered the ramifications. "It is said he is the one who told the Dark Lord of their location. He was the secret keeper of their Fidelius charm," he spat out vehemently. He crumpled the paper in his fist and threw it to the side.

"Wait a minute, Severus. Do you still hold a grudge against him? For sixth year?"

"Yes," he snapped. Then he did a double take as he looked at her. "You know about that?"

"Of course I do. I'm a Gryffindor; we always knew what went on in the pranks department. Besides, you couldn't miss hearing James, Remus and Peter tearing Sirius a new arse hole. James especially. They were best mates, but James didn't talk to Sirius the rest of term for that one."

"That wasn't a prank," he said ignoring the revelation that she had just told about the dynamics of the Marauders. "He tried to bloody well have me killed, or worse, bitten."

"By Lupin, I know."

"Are there no secrets?" Snape asked, exasperated. "Black should've been expelled!" he continued venting.

She looked up at him and reached up to soothe his cheek. "Probably, but that was over fifteen years ago, Severus, let it go. Why waste the energy? Concentrate on the here and now," she said quietly.

"Now, he is loose again and heading towards Hogwarts, according to the _Prophet_." He pointed to the discarded paper on the ground.

"Concentrate on that."

"I'll try," he begrudged her. She sincerely doubted he would though, as he gathered her against him resting his cheek against her head and stayed silent as they looked over moor and garden, the peace shattered.

His vacation came to an end far too soon for his liking. He had ended up staying most of the summer to ensure himself that Esme was not going to relapse as soon as he returned to the school.

Her illness had made it clear to him how much she truly meant to him. He had come to think of her cottage as 'Home', and he began to realise that he never wanted to lose her. They had never gotten around to talking about marriage over the years. Things had just settled into a comfortable routine that worked perfectly around both of their busy schedules. Now he was starting to think about the idea.

As the school year and the hunt for Sirius Black dragged on, he became convinced that maybe they should start having that conversation. But his doubts assailed him. How could he ask her to marry him with the Dark Lord possibly on the rise again? He didn't want to place her in that sort of jeopardy. In the end he was still of two minds and still had not come to a decision when he visited her the following summer.

Wizby was still in residence and was happy to see Professor, Sir again. Esme was back to normal, though she never regained the weight she had lost. She said this was a good thing. He thought, privately, that she was too thin. Over the year she had taken Snape's advice and had increased her music lessons business. He found himself tramping through the woods again to escape the din. Esme just laughed at him, packed his lunch and kissed him at the door as he left.

Instead of the regular August trek to the recital hall, they attended one of the productions of the 'Riverdance' show in Edinburgh where Dave and Maddie worked. While Esme reveled in the music and the production numbers, Severus found the noise level a bit much to take. All that clogging and tapping was louder than a Quidditch match! When they met Dave and Maddie afterwards for drinks, he kept his opinions to himself and only said how much he had appreciated the music. When they got home that evening, he took a headache draught.

He did invite her up to watch the tournament tasks the following year, but she declined his offer stating she had no desire to see students risking their lives for a trophy cup, Quidditch was bad enough. He had decided at the end of the previous summer that he would propose to her after the tournament had ended and contacted a jeweller in Diagon Alley to prepare a ring for her to his specifications. Of course this was before the Dark Mark started to burn again on his arm and before Potter was chosen as a fourth champion.

After the third task ended so disastrously and he had heard what Potter had said, he knew his relatively easy time of being a double spy was over. The hardest game had now started. When the headmaster reminded him of his duty, he knew what he had to do first.

"Esme, where are you?" he called out from the fireplace.

"Coming, Severus." She walked into the parlour and knelt in front of the grate. "What's the matter? You're white as a sheet."

"You must get out of there, now! Send the elf back to the castle, grab the cat and leave."

"What's happened?"

"The Dark Lord is back, he has a new body and I have to go report in like a good little Death Eater. I'm already two hours late thanks to the end of the tournament. I'll tell you later – but you have to get out of there now in case he breaks through my Occlumens," he said, and then he disappeared from her fireplace.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Esme whirled into action.

"Wizby!"

"Yes, Miss Essie?" The house elf came in from the kitchen.

"You are needed back at the castle. Something has happened and Professor Snape says you need to go back."

"But Miss Essie can't be alone!" the elf whinged.

"I'm leaving too, I'm going to a friend's house. Please, Wizby, go back to the school. Professor Dumbledore needs you."

"Yes, Miss Essie." With a frown she Disapparated with a loud crack of displaced air.

Esme grabbed the mobile phone that Dave and Maddie had given her over Christmas and dialed in their number. When it didn't ring, it took her a moment to realise she had forgotten to hit the power button. She did this and tried again, this time hearing the ring that Dave had told her meant the call was going through. Finally Dave picked up the extension.

"Dave, it's Esme. Look, I'm – erm – having exterminators coming in for a few days – emergency infestation. Can I stay with you? Great, I'll pop up tonight. See you in a few hours. You're a pal."

She _accio_-ed some clothes into a case and, grabbing Casey, stuffed him in his carrier and flooed to the wizarding way station in Edinburgh.

"Thanks, Dave, I appreciate this. It shouldn't be long, so I'll just kip out on the sofa," she said as Dave let her into the flat. She had walked there from the floo station.

"No problem, Esme. Glad to help out. Just put your stuff over there and I'll let Casey out," he said as he took the cage from her and placed it on the floor before opening the carrier door. Casey took one look and resolutely curled up so his back was to the open gate. Dave chuckled at the perversity of persnickety felines.

"Where's Maddie?" Esme called out, as she headed down the hall to the linen closet.

"University."

"Do you guys have a show this week?"

"We always have a show. She's helping out a grad student with some stuff. What kind of bugs?"

"What?"

"I asked, what kind of bugs infested your house?" he called down to her.

"Oh, big black things – with white markings on their heads. Nasty things. Just showed up, all of a sudden." Well, it _was_ the truth – in a way. " If you don't mind, I'm going to turn in," she said as she came back up the hallway carrying linens for the couch. "It's been a stressful evening."

"Go ahead, I was about to do the same thing."

She started to make up a sleeping spot on the couch. _Are my linens still going to be there when I go home? Is my home still going to be there? What is going on? How did He become corporeal again? Merlin, I hope Severus stays safe. _ She mulled over these and other similar questions as she started to drift off.

Four days later she finally received a call from Severus. She had left the mobile phone where he could find it.

"All clear." And he hung up. She stared at the phone in her hand and then hung up as well. She went to find the couple to say thank you and goodbye.

When she apparated back to the forest edge, she took a cautious look around but could not see anything out of the ordinary. She _could_ feel new wards in place. As she approached the fieldstone fence, Severus opened the door and silently waited for her just within the shadows, his black eyes scanning the countryside beyond the garden. He quickly closed it after her and reset the wards.

She looked at him and was startled to see the closed-off look she had come to dread in recent years. It was a look his students knew all too well. This visage was not her Severus; it was Snape – the Death Eater. She silently let Casey out of his carrier and set the rest of her things on the table before speaking to him.

"Are you alright? Was it terrible? Did you…" But he cut her off.

"His anger was terrible to behold, but I managed to placate him with information on Dumbledore. The headmaster knew this would happen someday and we had already prepared what information we would feed him. I am an expert Occlumens and I was able to convince him that the information was accurate and complete," he said as he walked to the parlour and sat ramrod straight on the divan near her.

"Did He use any…are you injured?" she finally got out through the huge lump in her throat. He seemed so distant to her, she was starting to get frightened.

"He used several… means… to ensure I was still loyal," he admitted. "I put on a superb show giving him only what I wanted him to know; I wasn't able to leave until this morning. He has a new obsession now. A prophecy."

"A prophecy?"

"Yes. It was made fifteen years ago and I heard – well, most of it. I was discovered before the end of it." He took a deep breath. "It was the reason the Potters were killed over a year later," he said, looking down at his clenched hands. "The Dark Lord wants to hear the end of the prophecy. He is trying to find a way to get to it in the Hall of Prophecies at the Ministry."

"Merlin's beard! Does young Harry know this? I take it this has to do with him."

"Yes," he said curtly, "it has everything to do with Potter," he spat out the name as if it tasted bad in his mouth. "I would suspect that he knows nothing about the prophecy, at this point," he said, finally looking over at her. "Albus has restarted the Order. I can't stay long; I just came to make sure you were all right. I've put warding shields on the property and privacy detectors. You'll have ample warning should the Dark Lord ever break through my shields." He got up to pace the room, murmuring and berating himself for even hoping to have a semblance of a normal life.

She let him rattle on in this vein for quite awhile before getting up and stopping him mid-stride.

"Severus, stop." She grabbed his upper arms and forcibly halted him, giving him a slight shake. "I. Love. You. Severus Snape. Don't you even dare to think about throwing it away. He's back, He's powerful and aye, our relationship is now a danger to us both. But I'm not giving up. We are not the only ones in danger. I suspect young Potter is at the top of the list along with Albus?" He nodded, not looking at her but beyond her, not focusing on anything. "Do _you_ want to give up our relationship?"

He focused his attention down at her, startled for once. "Merlin, no…" he protested.

"Then don't," she said quietly.

She let her hands wrap around him as she stepped into his arms and laid her cheek against his chest. She could hear and feel his heart beating, strong and steady, the muscles in his back, under her hands, were taut with tension. "I'll be fine, Severus. Just tell me you'll be careful."

"I'm always careful, Esme. But I am a double agent, at least in name, and that is a very dangerous position now," he said starting to relax as he began to absently stroke his hands along her back breathing in her scents that always seemed to calm him.

"I know. Thank you for the warning. What happened?"

"It was the last task, a magical maze." He told her how Harry and Cedric touched the cup and disappeared only to reappear less than an hour later with Harry nearly in hysterics over Cedric's body claiming that Voldemort had become corporeal again and Peter

Pettigrew had murdered the Diggory boy. Severus knew this to be true because not long after the boys had left the maze, the Dark Mark was burning on his arm, urging him to respond. He hadn't felt that much pain for fourteen years. Then he told her about Black and Pettigrew being Animagi and the fact that the true traitor to the Potters had been Peter Pettigrew, not Black. Black was innocent; Pettigrew had killed all those Muggles fourteen years earlier. And then he told her about the discovery of Moody really being a poly-juiced Barty Crouch, Junior.

"What does he look like now?"

"Barty Crouch? A bit slack-faced, I would presume" he said dryly. "Fudge brought Dementors into the school and although Minerva and I tried to stop them…" At least his humor was back, somewhat.

"I know what Barty looks like, I went to school with the fool. No, I meant Him, Volde…"

He cut her off with a scathing look. "DON'T say that name!" He took a deep breath to calm down, closing his eyes to center himself again. He had felt her stiffen in his arms when he had lashed out, but she hadn't backed away. After a few moments he continued and she relaxed. "He looks more like a snake everyday." He looked down at her inadvertent guffaw, raising a dark eyebrow. "I'm serious. His facial features, and especially his eyes, resemble a snake, as do his movements. He's been as cold blooded as one, probably as long as he has been alive, so it's quite appropriate."

He let her pull him back to the sofa, and this time he was slightly more relaxed. "I really can't stay. I'm due at Malfoy's by three and then when that is over, I meet with Dumbledore tomorrow."

"I understand." She snuggled up to him for a little while though, relishing the fact that he was still here and alive. He finally laid a kiss on top of her head and gently helped her to sit upright.

"It's time for me to go. It's going to be dangerous for us to see each other. I'm going to be watched constantly."

"Right," she smiled, "then it's no Hogsmeade dates for us!" she quipped.

"When have we ever…oh." His mouth twitched.

"Ah, finally got a smile out of you. We'll be fine. We've lasted this long, what's a Dark Lord or two."

He decided, wisely, not to quip back and headed for the kitchen door instead. He stopped to give her one last kiss before heading out to the tree line to Disapparate.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10.

" Ah, Professor Snape, come in - Fruit Gum?" Dumbledore offered to Snape as he came through the headmaster's office door.

"Thank you, but no, Headmaster." Severus folded himself into the chair in front of Dumbledore's desk. "You requested to see me."

"Hmmm, yes. I have received some communication from Miss Scott and she left it up to my discretion to let you read it. I felt you should." He handed Severus a piece of parchment.

Dear Professor Dumbledore,

I am writing to you to offer my services for the benefit of the Order. As you know, I am an accomplished researcher and transfigurationist and feel that those skills may come in handy for you and the Order at some time in the near future.

I understand that you know about my relationship with your potions master. I also know that he may not see this offer in a favourable light and may even try to forbid me on grounds of my protection. You may point out to him that we are not wedded and as such, he has no say in how, or to whom, I offer my talents.

I have had a premonition that you will be in need of my services in a research capacity. So, do with that what you will.

You may show this to Severus, if you deem it necessary.

Yours,

Esmerelda McGonagall Scott.

Severus dropped the note back on the desk. Dumbledore thought that the man was going to explode as he had gone redder with each passing second and then had gone sheer white.

Snape stood up and walked to the window, looking out over the grounds. He reached into his robe's pocket and pulled out a small box, which he gently laid in front of Dumbledore after fingering it for a moment.

"I was going to ask her this summer," he said gruffly. "I had commissioned this for her last autumn and with everything else that was going on forgot about it. It arrived this morning."

"May I?" asked Albus. Severus waved his hand dismissively and returned to the embrasure.

Albus took out the ring and admired the craftsmanship. A gold gryphon and a silver serpent encircled around the band and guarded a ruby surrounded by emeralds.

"It's magnificent, Severus. Are you not going to give it to her?"

Snape shook his head. "Not at this time. The future is too uncertain. I can't promise her anything right now."

"I see." Dumbledore was quiet for a moment then asked, "In preparation for the future, may I bless the ring?" he offered.

Severus snapped his head towards the headmaster. "I would be honoured, Sir."

Dumbledore nodded and enclosing the ring in his wand hand, closed his eyes. Severus could see his mentor's lips moving but no sound was heard. A light seemed to shine from the fist and Severus could feel the magical forces gathering around the headmaster.

"Come and see." Albus eventually smiled at him as he placed the ring on the desk. Severus plucked the ring up and was startled to feel a protection charm. In addition there was now an E and S embedded in the ruby and an inscription on the inside of the band.

"What… Thank you."

"Someday you will deem it safe enough to give it to her and I may not be around to enjoy it."

Severus replaced the ring in the box and placed it back into his robes.

"A word of advice, if I may?" Dumbledore asked, as he popped another candy into his mouth.

"Of course, Sir," he said as he sat back down.

"When you do finally get married, I would not use the high Anglican service."

"Sir?"

"I believe they still prefer the wife to say 'obey'."

Snape's mouth smirked. "You're correct." He picked up the letter again. "I don't think she'll agree to that! Are you going to accede her request to join the Order?" he grumbled.

"I am. I already have a project for her." Albus grinned at the consternation on Snape's face. "I believe the owl that brought the note is still in the Owlery. Could you get these books from Madam Pince and send them off to Miss Scott?" The headmaster handed another slip of parchment to his potions master as the man rose from his chair.

Severus turned to leave, but had a sudden thought. "Sir, what type of owl brought her note?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he said, "Eagle Owl."

He chuckled to himself as Snape closed the door cursing.

Snape pounded the stairs up to the Owlery two at a time, the parcel of books from the library swinging from his hand, as he took his frustrations out on the masonry. As he rounded the doorway, he spotted her high up in the perches. Dumping the bundle on the center stone table, he crossed his arms and just stared at her.

She blinked down at him, and then turned around on her perch so that her tail feathers faced him.

"Get down here. Now," he growled.

She hooted and after making a show of turning back around, flew down to the plinth, but again kept her back to him.

"Ruddy owl. Go ahead and change, I'm not going to bite your head off."

"You should see your face then. You wouldn't say that if you did." She hopped down off the stone and walked warily around it towards him. "I take it Dumbledore showed you my letter?"

He nodded, still unsure about trusting his voice.

She came and placed a hand on his crossed arms. "Severus, I have to do something! Blame it on the Gryffindor in me. I've been thinking about it since you left last month. Then, yesterday morning, I had a premonition dream. I haven't had one in years – not even when He came back last month. It showed me doing research for Albus. So I had to come and ask him. I wasn't sure he would recognise my Animagus form, but he did." She shrugged as she took a step back from him.

"He's known it for years. You couldn't send Kyle?" he got out through his strained lips.

"Not for something this important, no. This required the personal touch."

He looked down into her eyes and shuddered. _What is it with green eyes? They undo me every time._ He relented enough to drop his arms and let her step into them to embrace him, leaning his cheek on top of her head.

"I know you want to keep me away from everything, but this war will affect everyone. I can't stand by and be a wallflower, it's against my nature," she explained to him.

"I know." He sighed into her hair. "But next time try to ask me first."

"Ah, but that goes against the unofficial Gryffindor motto." She grinned up at him

"Which is?" he asked amusedly.

"Do it now, ask forgiveness later."

"Apt." He bent down to kiss her and she knew she had won. After a few moments of quiet snogging she asked, " Did you get the DADA post?"

"As usual, no. He says the Dark Lord cursed the position and it is not my time to leave Hogwarts."

"So, who is it this year?"

"Dolores Umbridge."

She startled when she heard the name. "That cow? She's the reason I lost my job!"

"You never told me that." He glowered.

"Not directly, mind you, but she's the one who convinced Fudge to consolidate the departments and made my position 'redundant'. I never got along with her – always toadying up to Fudge. I'm warning you, Love, look out for her. She's a nasty piece of business." She shuddered in mock revulsion.

"I'll keep it in mind. You need to get going. I've already placed a lightening charm on these." He patted the books on the stone.

"Thanks." She kissed him one last time and stepped away to transform. He watched silently as her form shimmered down to the shape of the majestic bird. After mantling her wings a few times she hopped to the plinth and onto the package. Severus came over to make sure her talons had a firm hold on the string, and gave her one last stroke down her back as she leaned her head against his arm. He stepped back as she mantled, then took off. All he could think of, as he watched her winging over the forest, was how much he truly loved her. He watched until she disappeared from view and, fingering the box in his pocket, slowly walked down the stairs.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Severus was actually looking forward to the Christmas holiday this year. Not a single Slytherin student was staying behind which meant he could get away from the castle and spend time with Esme. This would be the first such holiday in a few years. McGonagall was going there as well, he found out, but they would miss each other by hours. She had to be back in the castle to take over for Dumbledore while he left the school.

Actually, Dumbledore was joining Severus at Esme's – but Minerva knew nothing of this.

He thought about the letter Esme had managed to get through to Dumbledore before Umbridge started having the owls checked.

Severus and Albus,

Had another 'dream' last night. Things are getting dangerous – as I am sure you know. My research is proving thought-provoking and alarming.

_I still don't know what she is researching for Albus_

In any case, you are both supposed to visit on Christmas and there is some vague intimation that you, Albus, will need a bolt-hole this spring. I offer my humble abode for that purpose.

So, may I suggest you both arrive in the afternoon of the 25th? Stay as long as you like. Aunt Minerva is to leave in the morning – so you'll miss her entirely.

With affection and love,

E.

So, here it was, Christmas day. Professor McGonagall had returned in time for the dinner feast at noon and now Severus was making his way to Hogsmeade and Aberforth's tavern where he would meet up with Dumbledore and Apparate to Esme's cottage. He counted himself lucky that he had avoided Umbridge all the previous week by staying in the dungeons replenishing supplies and brewing more potions for Madame Pomfrey. Esme's research had turned up more chants over the years and Severus had been employing them ever since.

He entered the Hog's Head and Aberforth waved him through to the back room where he found Albus. They went through the back door and quickly Apparated to the edge of the woods.

Dumbledore felt Snape visibly relax as he gazed on the cottage and heard him whisper "Home."

"My boy, you really ought to take care of that this week. Tonight would be perfect," Albus, the inveterate romantic, hinted as they started across the frost-encrusted meadow towards the house.

"Too soon, too dangerous." And that was that. Dumbledore knew he could not press the subject any further. He sighed to himself and followed Severus to the stile gate.

Esme was waiting at the door to give each gentleman a hug and a kiss as she welcomed them in.

"My dear, you get prettier every time I see you!" Albus said with a twinkle in his eyes. She pshawed him, took their cloaks and hung them on pegs in the mudroom.

"Severus, hand me your things and I'll put them away if you'll show Headmaster the guest room?"

Severus showed Dumbledore to the second floor guest room. "If you'll excuse me, Sir, I'll go help Esme set up tea. Shall I take your gifts down for you?" he offered.

"That would be helpful, Severus. I'll be down momentarily."

When he made it back downstairs he found them in the parlour. Severus had placed the unopened gifts under the tree that had pride of place in front of the bay window. It was covered in strings of popcorn, garlands of ivy, magical candles that provided a soft candlelit glow without burning down the tree, and an eclectic assortment of decorations. A sumptuous tea was spread out on the coffee table.

Esmerelda was tuning in the WWN, which was playing Christmas Carols this year.

After tea they opened presents, toasted with mead and chatted up the rest of the afternoon and evening, filling Esme in on the changes at the school that Umbridge had instituted on behalf of the Ministry, and the attack on Arthur Weasley who was thankfully recovering at St Mungo's. Esmerelda and Dumbledore even got into a game of Exploding Snap. Severus sat on the sofa reading that days _Prophet_.

After Albus had won the majority of several rounds, he waved off any more games and sat back in the wing chair near the fire with a glass of sherry and a good book. After sending the dishes off to the kitchen, Esme joined Severus on the sofa, cuddling under his arm and petting Casey who had curled up in her lap. It was very cosy and Esme soon nodded off.

Dumbledore looked up when he noticed the quiet from the other side of the room. His hostess was napping against his potions master's shoulder and his potions master had the look of a contented, but trapped man.

Dumbledore chuckled and got to his feet.

"Severus, take her to bed. I'm going upstairs to try out that marvellous claw-footed tub I saw and then to sleep. I will see you both in the morning," he said, placing a friendly hand on the younger man's shoulder.

Severus looked at him wryly. "Good night, Headmaster."

"Happy Christmas. Now, take her to bed!" he insisted.

Severus nodded, and as Dumbledore passed into the kitchen and up the stairs he heard mumbles from the front room, creaking of the sofa springs and then a quiet 'snick' as the bedroom door closed.

He smiled to himself and proceeded to the bathroom where indeed a magnificent two person claw-footed tub awaited. After shucking his robes, he conjured bubble bath from his wand, filling the room with a lovely vanilla scent. He stepped in, with a pile of knitting magazines nearby, for a good long soak.

Severus awoke to the smell of brewing coffee and frying bacon. He wondered how Esme had managed to sneak out of bed without waking him when he realised she hadn't. She was starting to stir under his arm. He thought then it must be Dumbledore until he heard the creaking of the floorboards upstairs as someone walked around the guest room.

"Esme!" he whispered.

"Hmmmm." She still wasn't fully awake.

"Someone is cooking breakfast."

"Dumbledore…" she murmured into her pillow, eyes still closed.

"No. I just heard him up in his room."

"Go. Check. Take wand," she shorthanded, and she turned over and went back to sleep.

Exasperated at her lack of interest, he swung himself out of bed and grabbed the dressing gown, shrugging his way into it while taking his wand off the dresser. Opening the door he eased himself around it, wand outward and gave a grunt of surprise when he saw Wizby with a laden tray coming around the corner from the kitchen.

Her face lit up. "Professor, Sir is awake! Wizby came to take care of Professor, Sir and his Essie and Headmaster…" she stopped and cocked her head at him, eyes wide. "Why is Professor, Sir wearing Miss Essie's dressing gown?"

Severus looked down at himself and groaned, rolling his eyes at the sight. He ducked back into the room, removed the feminine housecoat and grabbed his own black velvet one, tying it in place as he returned to the parlour.

"Miss Essie is coming?" Wizby asked.

"Miss Esme is still asleep," Snape snapped, as he crossed to the sofa to pour himself some coffee and grab a slice of toast.

"Not now," Esme said as she came through the bedroom door chuckling. She had seen Severus' quick change manoeuvre. She was wearing the correct dressing gown and she spun in place, flaring out the bottom of the gown as she tossed her braid back over her shoulder and set her glasses firmly on her face. "I think it looks better on me, dear, don't you?" She chuckled.

Severus took the form of her in most appreciatively – even though it was morning. "Most definitely. Much better on you!" he agreed, snatching a second triangle of toast from the tray.

She laughed, and then she was nearly bowled over by thirty pounds of house-elf hugging her knees.

"Wizby! What are you doing here?"

"Knew you would be needing me today."

"House-elf magic…" Esme shook her head in resigned consternation. Some things you just never could figure out about house-elves. "Well, I could use the help today – just until Headmaster leaves, though. You will need to go back with him to the castle. Understood?"

"Of course, Miss Essie." She managed to look contrite and happy at the same time.

"Now, where is that coffee? It smells heavenly." She accepted a cup from Severus who had poured out for her and sat down next to him. Dumbledore came in carrying a full plate and sat in the wing chair.

"How is everyone this morning?" he asked cheerfully. Severus glared over at his headmaster. He could never figure out how Dumbledore always managed to be in a good mood in the morning

"Quite well, sir," Esme said, accepting a plate of eggs and bacon from the elf. "I hope you slept well?"

"I did, after enjoying a nice long soak in your tub. I also found some new sock patterns in your knitting magazines," he said delightedly, digging into his eggs with relish.

She laughed, "Those have to be twenty years old! They were my mother's! I am sure she is having a good laugh in heaven over her old Headmaster reading her knitting magazines."

Dumbledore chuckled as well. "When I get there, I'll thank her." He banished his finished plate to the kitchen. "Now, about that research…"

"I have some preliminary results for you upstairs. I'll show you after breakfast."

"Excellent. Wizby, good job on breakfast!" he praised the elf.

"Headmaster is very kind." She bowed low to him and headed back to the kitchen.

"Am I ever going to find out what you two are working on?" Snape inquired a bit testily. He was always grumpier than usual in the morning before caffeine and protein had a chance to raise his blood sugar levels to an agreeable level.

"In good time. However, I do need you to do me a favour. After the attack on Arthur last week, I realised that Voldemort is now very much aware of the connection he has to Harry. He will be using a form of Legilimency on the boy through the shared blood and the scar connection. We need Harry to learn Occlumency." He looked hard at Snape. "I need _you_ to teach him."

"Is that wise, sir? You are a more accomplished Occlumens than I am." _I can't do this!_

"Perhaps. But Voldemort doesn't want to attack you, my boy. He would love nothing better than to get inside my head, however. I can't give him that chance. He has already tried to get at me through Harry – I felt his anger at me rise up the night I sent Harry to headquarters. It is one of the reasons I have avoided Harry all term. I do not need Voldemort to see me treating Harry any different than a regular student." He knew in his heart, however, that this was probably hurting Harry after all the attention he had paid the boy previously. Some things just had to be done.

"As you wish," Snape acceded but his displeasure hung like a cloud over the room.

Dumbledore studied his potions master for a moment. "Severus, you must set aside your old prejudices for this to succeed. Harry needs to learn this; for his safety and the safety of others." Snape nodded, his lips pursed. He knew, he just did not like it and it peeved him that he had to be the one to teach the brat.

Dumbledore sighed. He was counting on Severus for this and hoped it would work. "You can notify him at headquarters on your way back, next weekend."

"Of course."

"Now, Esme, shall we go to your study?"

After Dumbledore left, taking Wizby with him, Snape tried again to get Esmerelda to tell him about her project for the headmaster.

"No, dear. I can't and I won't." She waved off his protestations. "If you knew about this, it would put you in jeopardy each and every time you had to meet with Him."

He had to be satisfied with that. He spent the rest of the week in quiet companionship with his lover. They curled up on the divan together, reading or watching the snow as it fell, softly blanketing the moors. In the evenings they would play wizard chess, listen to a show on the WWN, or play duets. Other times he just listened as she practiced her music. During these times he would sometimes get up out of his favourite chair and saunter around the room looking at her knick-knacks and wizard photos of family members and friends. They had decided long ago not to exchange pictures, basically to keep Minerva from finding out. She sometimes came to Severus' rooms on those rare occasions when she needed him and having Esmerelda's picture there might be awkward. And there was none of him here either, for the exact same reason.

She did have on display the collection of Christmas trinkets he had given her. It had started with their second Christmas together and he hadn't missed one. It was something of a challenge for him to find one unique item to give her each year.

This year had been a transfigured crèche scene from Bulgaria. A beautiful piece really, where the figurines acted out that holiest of meetings.

Saturday morning Snape was in a foul mood anticipating the upcoming meeting with Potter.

He even snapped at Esme and just as quickly regretted it. She did not deserve to bear the brunt of his displeasure.

"I'm sorry," he told her, as he went to give her an embrace and soothe ruffled feathers. "I'd rather stay here and the mere thought of going back is making me tetchy."

She hastily dashed the tears his earlier harsh words had drawn from her eyes and leaned into the hug. "I know you didn't mean it. I'm in a bad place myself. I had a dream last night that I'm not going to see you for a year and a half. And then, only because you do something terrible and are on the run." She squeezed him harder as if to reassure herself that he was solidly in front of her.

"A prophetic dream?"

She nodded.

"Why am I running?"

"I – I don't know!" she sobbed, hiding her face in his frock coat. He rubbed his hands over her back, calming her down. "These dreams are never as detailed as I want," she murmured.

"Nothing can keep us apart," he whispered. "We are entwined together for always." He bent down to kiss her, revelling in the passion and heat that was coming over them both. Somehow they made it back into the bedroom and she drew him down to the bed with her.

_Well, no one said what _time_ I have to show up at Grimmauld Place._

Snape started shaking off the snow from his cloak as he entered the front doors of Hogwarts. It had been snowing pretty hard when he had Apparated to Hogsmeade from headquarters. It had just added to his bad mood, the meeting had not gone as anticipated. Damn Black!

"Hem, hem…" _Merlin, it's that toad! _ He pretended not to hear her at first.

"Professor Snape!" came the insistent voice.

He plastered a sneer on his face. Not hard to do today. "Professor Umbridge," he acknowledged as he attempted to continue walking past her to the Dungeons entrance.

"Where have you been, Professor?" she asked in that overly sweet, high-pitched voice of hers that tended to grate on his nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard.

That stopped him. "Sorry?" He sneered down his nose at her.

"I asked…where. Have. You. Been?" she enunciated the last four words as if he was hard of hearing. "You have been gone since Christmas afternoon after the feast. I checked your rooms and your office – and you were nowhere in the castle. I was not notified that you were leaving for an extended period of time. So I repeat, where have you been, Professor Snape?" She stood there simpering, with that foul version of a smile on her lips.

"I am not aware that my holiday plans are of concern to any staff member other than the Headmaster," he said stiffly. _How dare she go into my rooms! Obviously I need to strengthen the wards again._

"I am the High Inquisitor, I am entitled…" she started, her voice losing its saccharin sweet factor and rising in volume, along with the choler in her face.

"You, Madam, are entitled to nothing," he cut in, his voice low and silky and full of menace. The voice he used on his worst students. "I had no students in my house to supervise and like all staff members, I am entitled to _personal_ holiday time. What I do and where I go with that time is…_Private!" _He stared her down. "I am not a student, _Professor_. I am a colleague and require the same respect you would expect for yourself. Now, if you do not mind, I am wet and cold and would like to get to my rooms to clean up and get ready for my students return tomorrow." He pushed past her sputtering form and strode down the dungeon stairs.

_That one's for you, Esme!_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

With a flash of fire and bright light, Fawkes and Dumbledore arrived at the cottage later that spring. Esme came running in from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel.

"Merlin, I was right!" she exclaimed.

"Of course you were, my dear. Dolores Umbridge has finally succeeded in ousting me from the school, temporarily at least. I've taken a few days to set some things up at Headquarters, but I am here now. She won't be able to use my office," he added, grinning conspiratorially.

"That evil…well, we were prepared. I just hope the students are," she mumbled as she led Dumbledore up to the guest room.

"They will be, they will be," he assured her thinking of the Weasley twins and Harry's study group.

"Do you need anything?"

"No. I take your warnings seriously and left a kit here at Christmas." He patted her cheek, and conjuring a perch, placed Fawkes on it.

"Now, let's get serious on that research of yours. I have some time to go searching."

"That's the problem," she said as they went across to her office. "I have no idea where to start looking. The actual research into Horcruxes is done, but how to apply it to Him? Are you certain this is how He has managed to stay alive all this time?"

"Fairly certain, yes. It fits some information I have managed to obtain, and it matches his grandiose opinion of himself." He sat down in a wing chair. "It also fits within his idea of conquering death."

"Well, aye, I guess it does. In any case – yes. In answer to your original question, multiple Horcruxes are possible and knowing his history – probable. The nature of the Horcrux is that it hides a bit of the person's soul – a murderer's soul. That is the only way you can make one. The act of a wizarding murder literally rips the murderer's soul in half. Before the pieces can merge again, the murderer can encase one of the halves in an object. As long as that object remains intact, the body can perish but the soul lives on."

"And magical powers, do they halve as well?"

"Interestingly, no. They remain in full strength. The ability to use them requires a corporeal existence of some sort. Possession would be one way of accomplishing that. Most of this information I obtained from my colleagues in the Eastern European communities. They tend to have a more – open – viewpoint concerning the practice." In fact, it had taken her nearly the entire time since Albus had given her the project to get the information from her colleagues. While it was an acknowledged practice, it was still difficult to find definitive information on the technique. She now knew more about Horcruxes and their manufacture than she really wanted to know. It made her feel a touch slimy just thinking about it.

"And is the wizard aware when a Horcrux is destroyed?" he continued probing.

She shook her head. "All of my research indicates that no, he is not aware. Once it's severed and contained, he is no longer aware of it."

"Ahh… that could be advantageous." Pressing the tips of his fingers together, he tapped them against his chin.

"The question now becomes two fold," he started musing aloud. "How many and what are the objects he would use?" He was quiet for a moment longer then shook his head. "It's late and too much has happened this night. I'll be able to think better in the morning," he said smiling over at Esme. "Thank you for all your work on this, my dear. There is still much to do but you have been of invaluable help." He rose, bestowed a kiss on her head and walked out to his bedroom. Esme _nox_ed the lights and headed downstairs.

Next morning, Dumbledore caught her up as to what had been happening at the school since December.

"Dumbledore's Army? That was clever!" She laughed.

He chuckled over his tea. "Yes, it was quite clever. That poor child is going to have those spots for a long time. Miss Granger's hex was quite effective."

"How is Severus handling those extra lessons?"

"I'm afraid that was a mistake. Severus has cancelled them, this week actually – right after I was forced to leave. Apparently Harry saw a memory that had been stored in the Pensieve. It was highly embarrassing to Professor Snape; from his school days."

"Ahh, let me guess…their fifth year at O.W.L.s?"

He raised his eyebrow at her.

"You forget I am a Gryffindor – we knew everything those boys did. I remember Lily was not enamoured of them at the time…they were quite the prats at that age."

"Apparently Harry discovered that as well. He has idolised his father since discovering the truth about his parent's abilities and the manner of their death during his first year with us. He was not pleased to discover that, in a way, Severus was somewhat justified in his opinions of James."

"The problem is that James grew out of pratishness and Severus never let go of the grudge." She looked at the headmaster who had made a non-committal noise. "Surprised? I love him, but after a dozen years I am quite aware of his blind spots. He tolerates Remus but he will never let go of this grudge against James and Sirius. I just wish I could get him to view Harry in a less jaundiced light, but I feel that is beyond my capabilities; I can only make him budge so far. You should have heard the language he used about the boy after you left at Christmas! I know Harry can't be as bad as Severus makes out, Lily was a wonderful person – and so was James, when he wasn't acting the prat." Flicking her wand, she sent the dishes to the sink.

"Did you know Severus had a soft spot for Lily?" she asked him. "That is why he considers it part of his duty to protect Harry. He felt so guilty at her death."

"Yes, I knew. I'm surprised he told you though." He raised his eyebrows in her direction.

"Late night confessions are good for the soul," she explained. "I have green eyes as well and he sometimes makes the comment that green eyes can always get him to do things. I just finally asked him about it. After a few false starts he got out that he had once had a crush on her when they had to share potions together." She shrugged. "Old history."

"That may be, but it guides his outlook on life to this day. I must say though that, since he has committed to you, he has been a tad less cynical over the last few years."

She chuckled. "Oh, I don't think his students would agree with you!"

"Well, he does need to keep up appearances." He chuckled with her. "But, when I can get him alone, he relaxes enough that I can see the good your relationship has wrought in him; he has hope." He patted her hand in a fatherly way.

She was quiet for a while as they headed back up to her study. When they had settled themselves in, she turned the conversation to Dumbledore's next moves.

"I need to get more information before I can proceed any further. I feel closer to the answers." He paused for a moment. "I will tell you this, I think Harry already destroyed one Horcrux, Tom Riddle's diary, in his second year. He rammed a basilisk's tooth into it, destroying the soul part and restoring Ginny Weasley. But what concerns me," he leaned in toward her, "is the fact that Tom left it behind in Malfoy's care without telling him what it was, just that it would open the Chamber. Severus tells me that Voldemort's anger with Malfoy was terrible when he discovered what had happened with the diary. Lucius was supposed to wait until Voldemort told him what to do with it and instead chose to use it for his gain."

"But he had essentially made it disposable." She was incredulous.

"Exactly. That is what led me to believe there was more than one Horcrux. He made the diary at the age of sixteen. He was already killing back then."

She shuddered involuntarily.

Dumbledore continued, "I've been collecting memories, over the years, from people who have known Tom and his past. This has been extremely hard to do – most people are reticent to speak of this knowledge. I still need a few more to coalesce my theories. Then…then I will show Harry…" His voice had lowered to almost a whisper and his eyes took on a faraway gleam.

Esme felt as if she was holding her breath and gave herself a mental shake. "How are you going to obtain this information?" she asked quietly.

He looked up at her, startled out of his reverie. "I have several places to go and people to hunt down. If you don't mind, I will use your humble abode as a base camp for this endeavour. I don't want this mixed up in Order business. The less people who know what we suspect, the better and safer it will be for Harry and Severus," he pointed out. She nodded her head in agreement, sitting up straighter in her chair with newfound conviction.

"I don't mind. Just let me know how I can help," she stated.

"You've done a lot just with this research. Thank you, my dear. Now, it is my turn. I think later this spring though, I will introduce you to the rest of the Order."

"I'll leave you to it then. I have a few lessons to give today. If it gets too much for you, just cast a muffling charm on the room. Severus does it all the time." She grinned at him and headed down the hallway to the stairs hearing his chuckle behind her.

Tap, tap, tap.

Esme turned over in her bed.

Tap, tap, tap.

What was that noise…

Tap, tap, tap.

Esme finally woke up and realised there was an owl at her window. She got up and opened the sash to let the bird in. He hopped to the inside sill and held out his leg for her to untie the message, it was sealed with the St. Mungo's seal.

She unrolled the parchment as the bird flew off, mission completed.

_Miss Esmerelda Scott,_

_We regret to inform you that your aunt, Minerva McGonagall, is currently a resident of St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries as the result of several stunning spells received this morning at Hogwarts. We request your presence at this time._

_Sincerely,_

_Hepzibah Caducus_

_Admissions Co-ordinator, SMHMMI_

"Lord have Mercy! What've they done?" she exclaimed.

She summoned some clothes from her wardrobe and quickly changing, grabbed her wand and ran out of the house to the apparition point.

She appeared in a dingy alleyway, two blocks from the hospital. A young, purple haired witch in Auror robes over a pair of ragged-knee jeans and a Weird Sisters tee was leaning against the side of the building.

"Wotcher! You must be McGonagall's niece?" she asked brightly.

"Aye, I am."

"Yeah, you look like a younger version of her – nicer, though." She pushed herself off of the brick and promptly stumbled over a piece of rubbish in the alleyway as she walked up to Esme. "Bloody rubbish! I'm ok, don't worry. I'm Tonks by the way, I'm to take you over to the hospital."

"What happened, do you know?" Esme was amazed this flamboyant girl was an Auror.

"I wasn't on duty, but yeah, I know." They began walking up the street, Tonks surreptitiously watching everything around her. "Umbridge – you know about Umbridge? Well, Umbridge decided to sack Hagrid in the middle of the night. Hagrid put up a fight when they tried to stun him and woke up the entire castle. Minerva tried to stop them but they turned around and stunned her – four stunners straight to the chest – with no warning."

Esme's breath caught in her throat.

"Here we are." Tonks looked around to make sure no Muggles were around and walked up to whisper at the dummy in the window, "Esmerelda Scott to see Minerva McGonagall."

The dummy winked at them and Tonks led Esme into the building. As it was still very early in the morning, the waiting room was clear of visitors. A bored receptionist sat at the window rifling through a current copy of _Witch Weekly_, snapping a piece of gum between her teeth, a ragged looking quill stuck behind her right ear. She looked up at Tonks as she approached the desk.

"Yes, can I help you?" she asked in a bored and put-out manner. Tonks and Esme just slid looks at each other in joint amazement.

"Minerva McGonagall, stunning injury," the Auror requested.

The girl sighed and pointed at the sign behind the desk with her wand tip, "Go to the fourth floor and check at the desk there." She returned to reading her magazine, clearly feeling she had fulfilled her duties to these visitors.

Tonks shrugged and the two women headed through the double doors that led to the stairs. When they reached the fourth floor – Spell Damage Ward –, another bored receptionist gave them the professor's room number.

"I'll just wait for you out here then, shall I?" asked Tonks as they reached the door.

"Yeah, thanks Tonks."

"I'm to accompany you to Headquarters later."

"I think I'll stay here most of the day. You look knackered. Come back for me this evening, why don't you?"

"Are you sure? I could really use some shut-eye. Between Order business and Auror assignments I'm burning the wand at both ends." She sighed, letting her exhaustion show on her face.

"Go ahead, I'm not going anywhere."

"See you then!" she said gratefully. Tonks sauntered off down the hallway back to the stairs as Esme entered the room. The long row of empty beds ended at a bright window where the sun was just starting to appear. The last bed was occupied by a sleeping witch and seated beside her was Dumbledore. He looked up as Esmerelda traversed the length of the ward.

"How is she?" she whispered to him as she gazed down at her aunt who looked nearly as white as the sheets that covered her. Her hair had been let down and the soft waves of the gray streaked auburn tresses softened her facial features so that they did not appear so severe.

"Doing better, my dear, doing better," he whispered back. "Four stunners to the chest though is quite a lot of magical energy focused in one vital area. She is very lucky to be alive. It is a credit to her own power that she was able to survive such an attack."

Esme nodded mutely and took the chair next to the professor.

"Have they said how long…"

"I believe they said about a week. She will be fatigued for awhile but she should come out of this safely."

"Thank you, Albus. Is it safe for you to be here?" she asked him solicitously.

"I'm fine. All the healers on her case are Order members." His eyes twinkled at her above his glasses. "I believe, since you are in London, we will have that introduction soon. Maybe when Minerva is well enough to be moved from St Mungo's in a few days. Oh, yes – she won't be here long. She can stay at Headquarters for the last few days of her recuperation and then go back to the castle." He stood up after patting her hand. "I have several meetings today but I hope to see you this evening for dinner at number twelve, Grimmauld Place."

She just nodded mutely and reached a hand out to take one of her aunt's as Minerva slept on.

The kitchen at Grimmauld place was full of Order members. Minerva had been released and was spending some time at Headquarters before returning to Hogwarts. Dumbledore was there to lead the meeting and give the correct news regarding the happenings at the Ministry. Esme had stayed in London to be with Minerva. She had received an owl from Severus the night before.

_My dearest Esme,_

_Well, the Toad – as you (and most of the students) call her – is sacked and Owl post is back up and relatively safe. Once again Potter has not left well enough alone and, because he would not study Occlumency correctly, let the Dark Lord set a trap for him bringing along all his friends to get caught with him. As I'm sure you know by now, Black is dead._

_Dumbledore tells me you are at Headquarters right now, so I may see you at the meeting tomorrow evening. It will be hell seeing you and being unable to do anything about it. Maybe your dream was wrong?_

_I will tell you now I will not be able to come out this summer. The Dark Lord has insisted that I let Wormtail stay at my house. I am unsure whether this means I am his keeper or he is mine. Do not fly to the house; Wormtail is an Animagus and would recognise you as one as well. _

_I am grateful your aunt is doing well. I really do look forward to having her return to the castle as soon as she can; just don't tell her that. As Albus says, I must keep up appearances._

_With Love, always,_

_Severus_

And Severus was there this evening. Dumbledore, ever the wise leader, was introducing Esme individually to the other Order members who had shown up that evening.

"Miss Scott, I believe you remember Severus Snape from your school days? He is a Professor of Potions at Hogwarts now, and the head of Slytherin House."

"Of course, it is good to see you again after such a long time, Professor Snape." She held out her hand and he took it in his, giving it the slightest of extra squeezes. She let her fingertips linger a bit longer than they probably should have as she removed her hand, but no one, except perhaps Dumbledore, noticed.

"My pleasure, Miss Scott. What will be your capacity within the Order, may I ask? I believe your expertise in school was transfiguration – I am not quite sure how that would apply to the Order's needs at the present time." He smirked down at her over his nose, taking the role of newly met colleagues to heart. If she could have, she would have stepped on his foot. But she smiled instead.

"I am a former research associate for the Ministry. I've been working on some research projects for Professor Dumbledore," she pointed out.

"I see." He drew out the last word, his voice sending shivers down her spine. Their eyes flashed at each other in warning. He was right: this was hell. She did not like seeing him when he had to play one of his parts. She broke the eye contact first, letting Albus lead her on to the next person.

"Remus! So good to see you!" She felt, rather than saw, Severus' sneer as she greeted her old House mate, planting a kiss on the werewolf's cheek while giving him a warm embrace. Remus stiffened momentarily as he caught the pheromones on his old friend's skin. His heightened werewolf sense of smell alerted him that there was more going on with Esmerelda than was on the surface. There was an old familiar smell about her as well, something that was not her but was around her now. He pondered this silently as he let himself respond to her embrace.

"Esmerelda, when did Albus bring you in?" asked Lupin, letting a slight uplift of the lips soften his face at the sight of an old school chum.

"Oh, quite some time ago. I'm terribly sorry about Sirius," she said consolingly.

"Thank you, Esme." He gave her a wan smile which brightened somewhat as Tonks came up to him with a drink. Her hair was a mousy brown today and she still looked as knackered as she had at St. Mungo's. "Have you met Miss Tonks, Esmerelda? Esmerelda was two years behind me at school, Nymphadora."

"Oh, then you knew all of the Marauders?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I wasn't really allowed to prank, you see – with McGonagall as my aunt – so I tended to live vicariously off the stories of these pranksters. Although Remus never instigated any of the pranks, that I can remember." She sent a sly look in his direction.

"I'll have to get some stories from you later," Tonks said conspiratorially, but without any real conviction in her voice. She turned away from them and wandered back over to the drinks table to speak with Kingsley Shacklebolt. Snape stepped away from her as she approached. Remus' eyes snapped to Severus and at once realised where the familiar scent on Esmerelda had come from.

Esme stepped a bit closer to Lupin to ask, "Is she alright?"

He shook his head. "Sirius was her cousin. It was quite a blow for her to lose him. He started fighting Bellatrix after Bellatrix had finished with Tonks. She feels a bit guilty over it. Feels he would still be alive if she had been able to handle her aunt," he explained.

"I've been at St. Mungo's all week only coming here to sleep." She shook her head in commiseration. "I'm afraid that a lot of what happened is news to me. You're staying here as well, aren't you?"

"In and out, when I'm not on Order business," he agreed. He leaned closer in to his old friend and whispered very gently in her ear, "You can't fool an old wolf, Esme; your scent is all mixed up with Severus'." She startled and shot him a quick glance of fear. He rushed to quell it. "No, no one else knows. The nose knows," he said tapping a finger alongside his own. "Are you happy?" he asked her quietly. She lowered her eyes to hide the sudden gleam in them and nodded 'yes'. "Does Minerva know?" This time she shook her head 'no'. Before she could say anything more Albus led her to the next person. She let a smile stay on her face as she flipped a hand in farewell to her friend.

After the report and dinner, she excused herself to climb upstairs to her room. Severus had left before dinner – Molly said he never stayed to eat – and she was feeling overwhelmed by all the people in the small space. Used to wide open spaces at the cottage, she had discovered she definitely was not a city girl. She pondered on the fact that Remus had managed to notice her involvement with Severus. Just as she was doing this, a knock came on her door.

"Enter."

Remus came in, gently closing the door behind him and casting Silencio on the room.

"I thought we should talk," he started.

She turned back to her packing. "About?"

"About what I sensed this evening." He came over and sat on her bed watching her fold her clothes into her small valise.

"Well, let's put it this way. You are the third magical person to know about this, the first being Dumbledore and the second is a house-elf named Wizby." She put the last article in and snapped the case shut and setting it on the floor.

"Does he truly make you happy?"

"Very much so, what little time we have together. And before you go all marauderish on me, I'm very well aware of his double role and how he must play it. This is why no one else can know – not even my aunt!" she emphasized, shaking her finger in his direction.

"Tonight must have been hell for you then. How long?"

"You have no idea, and it's been 12 years." She sighed and came over to sit next to him. He placed a brotherly arm around her shoulder and gave a squeeze. She smiled and then poked him in the ribs. "Speaking of romance…you and Tonks? I saw how you looked at her," she teased. Remus smiled down at her.

"Maybe. We'll see. I'm much too old for her though and too dangerous. I won't deny there is an attraction though."

"Well, good for you. I wish you happiness," she told him sincerely.

"And you too, Esme. I'll see you at breakfast in the morning?" he asked as he got up from the bed and headed towards the door.

She nodded 'yes' and after a quick hug, let him out of her room.

Esme returned to the cottage the following morning. She had met many interesting members at the meeting the previous evening but no new assignments were forthcoming. Albus still wanted her to find out more information on Horcruxes from her continental contacts. Setting her bag in her bedroom and pouring out some food for Casey, she headed upstairs to her study to start sending owls to more research contacts.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

With a small snap of air, Severus Snape appeared at the edge of the field. Still breathing hard after running from the Hogwarts grounds, he quickly looked about making sure no one was around and hurried across the fog-enshrouded ground to the lone cottage nearby.

As he eased his way past the garden stile, a harsh voice came from the shadows near the door.

"That's far enough! I have my wand on you – identify yourself!"

"Esme, it's me – Severus!" Snape said in a hoarse whisper. The door opened wider and she appeared in the moonlight in a dressing gown with a shawl thrown over her shoulders. She hurried him inside and, after resetting the wards, turned to find herself encased in his arms, his lips finding hers in a burst of passion that he had missed this last year and a half. He held her tighter and buried his face in her hair.

"I just need to hold something warm, alive… I had to come here first before going on…"

"What are you going on about?" she said taking a step back and looking into his eyes. "You're white as a ghost! What's happened?"

Fury was in his eyes as he looked away from her. He snarled through his teeth, "Dumbledore, Esme, I had to kill Dumbledore!" A sound, much like an animal in pain, came from deep inside of him and he stumbled to the table to sit, hiding his face in his hands.

She stood there, stunned, a hand to her mouth to hold back the horror, tears springing to her eyes.

"How? Why?" She barely knew where to start. This had not been in her premonition; just the fact of his running.

"I had to. He begged me to do it. He forced me to fulfil my _vow_." He slammed a hand down on the table, making her jump.

"What vow?" She was slowly regaining her wits.

"I had to make a vow with Narcissa last summer, an Unbreakable Vow. The Dark Lord, in his displeasure with Lucius, set Draco the task of murdering Albus. Narcissa made me vow to complete that task if Draco couldn't." He was suddenly bone-weary from the night's adventures and slumped in the chair.

"Merlin. I need something to drink, tea?" she said as she conjured a cup.

"Stronger, I think," he murmured.

"Hmmmm." With another wand flick, a small goblet of steaming, mulled wine appeared near his hand.

"Take that and go sit in the parlour. I'll just be a mo'."

He took the proffered glass and sipping the warming liquid felt it begin to loosen the pain in his chest. As he walked to the larger room, he noticed that the view through the bay window showed the moors still steeped in early morning fog. A fire was laid in the hearth and, absently aiming his wand, he started the wood blazing merrily to add warmth to the room. He wasn't sure if his heart would ever thaw after tonight.

Esme came in behind him curling up on the corner of the divan, sipping her tea, her head wreathed in steam.

"All right, Severus, give me the whole sordid tale."

He set his goblet on the mantel and started pacing around the room. He was too keyed up to sit just yet.

"Remember last year after the disaster at the Ministry? Well, Dumbledore started searching for the reasons why the Dark Lord never died."

"Actually, dear, he's been searching out that reason for several years now." She had a tight little smile on her face when he whirled around at that.

"Your research for him?" he asked. She hesitated then finally nodded 'yes'; he obviously knew the truth now, so withholding the information was not going to keep him any safer.

"I should have known," he mumbled.

"Albus suspected after the Diary incident that He was making Horcruxes and wanted me to research them. I spent nearly a year searching the books you brought to me and then this year got further information through my contacts all over the wizard world."

"Well, that shortens my explanation somewhat. After term ended last summer, Dumbledore found one of the Horcruxes – a ring carrying the Peverell family crest. It had a killing curse laid upon it. Albus activated it when he destroyed the part of the soul that was encased within." He paused staring down at the fire. When he spoke next his words were low and mesmerizing. "Any other wizard would have died instantly; Dumbledore managed to hold on until he could get to me at the castle where I could stop the progress of the curse. Unfortunately, all I could do was give him extra time. It would eventually, in the end, kill him. As it was, the initial impact withered his wand hand past redemption."

Esme gasped pulling her knees up to her chin, hugging them to her. She hadn't heard from Albus since her research had ended. After the one meeting at Grimmauld Place, he had communicated with her through owls and patronuses. Casey jumped onto the seat and curled up on her feet; Snape kept pacing, absently picking up and looking at trinkets.

"Knowing he really wasn't long for this world," he continued in lecture mode, "he needed to accelerate some plans for Potter. About this time the Dark Lord also decided that the headmaster needed to be removed, as he was the last thing truly shielding Potter. Because of Lucius, as I said before, he decided to make an example of Draco and set him the task of killing Dumbledore." He looked at her directly now. "Of course the Dark Lord told me his plan since I was well placed to ensure Draco's success." He looked back to the fire again. "He made sure that Draco would not waiver from his task; he had Greyback scratch his arm."

She was stunned. Severus had told her before how Fenrir Greyback was being used as a surety factor among the Death Eaters. But that was normally for lesser followers or those wizards that Voldemort wished to intimidate to obtain certain performances. Had Malfoy dropped that far in his favour? "Had he transformed?"

"No. Draco only gets sick during the full moon, but it's enough to act as a constant reminder. And, of course, if he did not succeed in his task…"

"The full bite." She was quiet a moment thinking about the information. "And Narcissa decided to make sure that the deed would be done one way or another?" He slowly nodded.

"Dumbledore knew of the Dark Lord's plan. I informed him the minute I knew. He was aware that it was just a matter of time. Either he would die of the cursed ring or the Dark Lord would eventually succeed. He requested that if it came to that, I was to complete Draco's task. This was the plan in place when Narcissa insisted I take the vow. I could not see any way to get out of it and Bellatrix was there to ensure my loyalty. If I had balked, she would have gone running to the Dark Lord. It just made the end more inevitable," he spat.

He turned to face her once more. "In any case, Dumbledore decided I would need to go deeper into the Dark Lord's camp sooner than we had anticipated. He also wanted Potter to continue on in Potions which he would not have been able to do had I continued teaching it."

"What was his grade, an A?"

"E."

"I always told you that O was an unrealistic benchmark," she scoffed. "None of the other N.E.W.T. classes require an O. So, did he finally move you to the DADA position?"

"Very good," he nodded to her. "Yes, he did. We all know full well the job is cursed and that it meant I would have to leave the school at the end of the year."

"So, what happened this evening?"

"Dumbledore left the castle, taking Potter with him. He had the Order patrolling the castle along with some Ministry Aurors. Now that I think about it…" he finally stopped pacing and snatching his goblet from the mantel, came and sat at the other end of the sofa. "I ran into Granger and Lovegood outside of my office. Potter must have had them watching me." He looked over at Esme. "Draco had tried all year to kill the headmaster with different means – never direct – and failed miserably, but nearly killed two students in the process. I tried to constantly get him to tell me what his plan was. He refused to tell me, and he had learnt Occlumency over the summer from Bellatrix. I couldn't legilimise what he was up to. Whatever it was, he worked on it all year.

"This evening, Flitwick came down to my office to tell me that Death Eaters were in the castle and fighting on the seventh floor corridor. Draco had made his move and I had to make mine. I stunned Filius to keep him out of the way and hurried to the fight." He snorted. "Of course neither side touched me. I saw some of the Death Eaters heading up the stairs to the tower and followed. At the top were Draco, Greyback, the twins and Dumbledore." He stopped, staring down at the empty goblet in his hands but not really seeing it.

Esme reached a gentle hand out to him and he grabbed it, as if it was a lifeline.

"Do you know what Potter called me? A coward. A Coward!" he spat out.

"Severus…" she squeezed his hand.

"Dumbledore was dying, Esme. There on the tower, he was dying. I don't know what he did this evening, but whatever it was accelerated the curse and he only had a few minutes. Draco was unable to kill him, or unwilling – it matters not. When Albus saw me, he pleaded for me to end it. We both knew it had to happen. He used Legilimency on me to show me that Potter was on the rooftop, hidden under that damn cloak of his father's, and that I needed to fulfil my vow – to him and Narcissa. It was time for me to leave. So, I…" He stopped again. "I had to do it." He got up again and resumed pacing. "It was horrible, Esme," he whispered.

He could see, in his mind's eye, the headmaster's body arcing over the parapet. Just the thought of it brought the pain and agony washing over him anew forcing him to return to his seat. He grimaced and bent over against this inner attack.

Tears flowed again from the pain she felt, not only for him, but also for the loss of Albus. She held onto him and let him work through the pain and regain a meagre portion of his stoicism. When he seemed able to continue she asked, "So now what? The Ministry is going to be after you, as well as the Order."

He turned back to her. "I was hoping to hide here for a short time. No one knows about us, you still have the proximity alerts and wards I set in place two years ago. I can't go back to my house, the Order knows about it and will probably have notified the Ministry."

"Obviously." She rearranged herself on the sofa, picking up the sleeping cat and placing him in her lap, needing the warmth to ward against the chill that Severus' tale evoked in her. "You're sure no one else from the Order knows about us?" He shook his head.

"Well, that's a blessing." She sipped from her tea again. "We've managed to keep it a secret for thirteen years now. If Aunt Minnie knew…Oh my god…" She suddenly sat up on the couch.

"What?"

"Remus knows." She turned to stare at him, eyes wide.

"How the hell does the werewolf know about us?" he demanded.

"That first meeting I attended, he could smell you on me. He came up afterwards to talk to me about it and I assured him that I was happy, that I knew what I was doing and that I knew all about both aspects of your life. I don't know if he would tell, though. I explained that he was only the third person to know and that he wasn't to tell anyone."

Severus was silent for a minute as he contemplated the fact that one person in the Order knew their secret. "We are going to have to chance it. If the wards are breached tonight, I'll just floo to Diagon Alley and Apparate from there. The warning will give me enough time. How loyal is the wolf to you?"

"I don't know. In school he was like an older brother to me. I don't think he would break my trust. Bloody hell, what a mess!" It was her turn to get up now and pace, dislodging Casey with a hiss. Severus was startled to hear her curse – she so rarely used that type of language, unless she was truly vexed.

She finally stopped, looking out the window at the greying sky as dawn approached. She wrapped her arms around herself, as if to ward off the inner chill she felt. In a few short minutes her entire world had been turned upside down. What else would this new day bring? She felt the tears pricking her eyes again and sniffed quietly to herself. Severus softly came up behind her and curled his arms around her, breathing in the warm vanilla scent of her hair. "Is it over for us?" she quietly asked, leaning into his strength.

"No," he said firmly. " I promised you last year and I will keep that promise," he sighed, resting his chin on top of her head. "After it dies down, I'm going to have to join the Dark Lord's forces. It was Dumbledore's last wish and plan for me to work from deep within. I am cut off from the Order – Potter will have unknowingly played his part, telling them what he saw. By now everyone will be searching for me. Bellatrix should have Draco and Narcissa in hiding by now." A sudden conviction came over him and he turned her to face him. "Esme, I want you to be safe." He took a deep breath before continuing. "Go to your aunt."

"Are you daft? Are you sure you weren't hit by one of those hexes flying about?" she quipped. He didn't take the bait.

"No, listen to me. You're a Gryffindor; she'll listen to you. She'll accept your help. You're too vulnerable here. The Dark Lord does not know about us - yet," he emphasised. "I have managed to keep that part of my mind blocked from him, along with my true feelings concerning him. He must never find out about us! But I will still sleep easier knowing you are safe at the castle, working for Minerva." He held her tight, as she cried silently against his chest, the threatening tears finally spilling over. "Please, Esme?"

"I'll consider it…" she choked out.

"You are going to have to tell her. Everything. Look at it this way – if you don't, Lupin just may give in and say something. It will be better coming from you."

She smiled at that, wiping her eyes. "That will _not _place me in her good graces, Severus. Only living relative or not!"

"Tell her what I've told you. If you approach her in her office, Dumbledore's portrait should vouch for you," he pointed out.

The sun's early morning rays caught her face as she considered his arguments. "It may work," she finally acceded.

He kissed her deeply. "I don't even know if they'll keep the school open," he said, drinking in her face. "You are the most important person to me, but I have to do this and this is the only way to keep you safe. What I do now may mean my death – in the end. I can face it better knowing you are protected." He was silent a moment and then taking a deep breath, made another request of her. "Tell the werewolf as well. I need someone in the Order I can get information to, once I am in deeply. If he is as loyal to you as you think he is, he should have no problem doing this for you and Potter."

She leaned her cheek up against his chest, taking comfort in his quiet strength, breathing in the scents of potions that permeated his clothes. He knew she would do as he asked.

Finally drying her eyes some more, she silently led him by the hand toward the bedroom. As they undressed she said, "You can stay here for a short while. I'll go to Auntie later this week and tell her what I deem necessary. Merlin's beard, I can hear her now," she sighed.

Snape smirked a bit at that remark as he removed his linen shirt and trousers. She caught it as she laid her dressing gown and shawl on the chair that had never been removed since she had been sick. Getting under the covers next to him she flicked a charm at the window curtains to close them against the morning glare.

"Oh, you laugh now. When she finds out I've been cavorting all these years with a Slytherin!"

"Even when she knows we truly love each other?" he bantered back.

"That is about the only thing that will save me from being transfigured into a mouse. And about the only thing that will save you, if she runs across you." She cuddled into his arms, laying her head on his shoulder. "I hope the portrait will back me up, Love," she said seriously.

"It will." He tightened his hold on her.

"Just Auntie and Remus, Severus – no one else."

"Just Minerva and the Wolf," he agreed.

"I heard about Karkaroff," she persisted.

He scowled into the dark room. "He ran. I, on the other hand, will not run." He moved soothing hands over her body, kissing her deeply, feeling her respond. She pressed herself to him, moulding her body against his in an intimate display of her love for him. He responded by pulling her on top of him, kissing her passionately and longingly, never wanting to leave his lover's arms; gods, it had been so long since they had loved each other properly.

Later, as he drifted off to an exhausted but sated sleep, Severus Snape firmly affixed this memory, deep, deep into the recesses of his mind as a bulwark against the dark times ahead. He never felt Casey jump onto the bed, curling up against his back.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

When next they woke, it was dark again and the cat had left the room. Severus bestowed a kiss on the palm of Esmerelda's hand where it lay under his cheek.

"What time is it?" she murmured, sleepily.

"Almost time for me to go," he replied, running a hand over her face lovingly and reluctantly swinging his legs off the bed. He started to reach for his clothes.

"I'll go make us something to eat then." She pulled on her dressing gown and headed for the kitchen – hastily re-braiding her plait. He noticed that there were quite a number of white hairs showing among the mahogany. _When did that happen? _

He sat at the table as she reheated some stew leftover from the night before.

"Esme, you do realise that this will, most likely, be the last time we see each other," he pressed.

A stricken look came to her face. " Of course I realise that," she said as tears weltered in her eyes again.

"Esme…" He started up from his chair, but she waved him back. "Don't, Severus, I'll be fine. I just dread the silent months again. The last few years have been hell; bearing with the communications blackouts, never knowing when I'll see you…I just wish there was some way to know that you are still alive without Him finding out." She brought over a loaf of bread on a cutting board and set a bread knife to slicing it neatly.

Severus pondered her request for a few moments, fiddling with his Slytherin house ring he always wore. A look of hope came over his face…_it's worked twice the last two years!_

"There might be a way," he murmured aloud.

"What?" She turned to him from where she stood by the sink.

He looked up at her. "There might be a way to stay in contact without anyone knowing about it." He held up the back of his hand, the ring flashing in the stove light. "Do you still have your house ring?" he asked.

"Aye, in my jewellery box. I never wear it though," she pointed out.

"You will now!" He got up swiftly and headed back towards the bedroom. She followed and stood in the doorway, the half-Kneazle twining around her ankles as she watched Severus paw through the plain, wooden box on top of her dresser.

"Esme, don't you ever organise this box?" he complained over his shoulder. "How can you find anything in here?" A look of disgust came over his face as he continued to search for the elusive circlet of gold bearing a Gryffindor house crest.

"Och, move over," she said as she gently pushed him out of the way, lifted the top tray out of the box and fetched the ring from the storage area below. She held it out to him, "Here it is. What do you want with it?"

"A Protean charm," he declared, grinning like a cat that had just eaten the canary. He saw the look of hope dawning in her eyes. "Yes, just like this abysmal mark on my arm. Only _this_ will be linked between our two house rings. You must wear yours from now on, Esme," he insisted.

"You're sure this will work? We won't be able to send messages."

"Not full blown messages, no. And there would probably not be enough time to send one. I think the best use for this is as a warning. If I discover you and the school will be in immediate danger, I can activate the charm on my ring and it will, in turn, activate your ring." He looked down at her quite severely. "I will not be able to give you much time, you understand, a few hours at most."

"It's something though, and at least I'll know you are still alive." She was satisfied with the solution.

She left him to go dish up the meal. Soon Severus was back in the kitchen sitting across the table from her.

"Give me your right hand," he requested. _If only it could be her left hand and the ring was the other one in my robes._ When she did so, he slipped her house ring onto her third finger. "Never take this off. After tonight this is our only connection to each other."

"I understand, Severus." It felt strange for her to be wearing the ring again. She had originally stopped wearing it because it had been large and cumbersome, now it felt strangely comforting to have it on.

"I want to try this, just to make sure it works correctly."

"Don't you trust your own charms, dear?" she teased.

He stared down his nose at her. "Of course I do. I want _you_ to be aware of what it feels like when I activate it." He casually folded one hand over the other bearing his ring. Immediately a sense of warmth surrounded her finger where the ring sat. The look on her face confirmed the charm's effectiveness for him.

"Good." He finished one last spoonful of stew. "It's time for me to go, it's near midnight. If I stay away any longer, He will get suspicious." They both got up, moving towards the door. Esme murmured "_Nox_" and all the flames in the room went out.

Severus gathered her in his arms, burying his face in her hair and breathing in her scents. She clung to him desperately, the tears silently rolling down her face. Slowly he began to kiss the tears away leaving trails of fire on her skin. She melted into his arms as his lips lingered on hers, pent-up passions and unspoken promises melding them together one last time before he was gone in swirl of black robes – striding across the garden. With one last look back, he turned in place and Disapparated.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"And no one knew?" Minerva asked as Esme finished her tale.

"The quartet knew, Wizby knew; but the Dark Lord did not know about them. Dumbledore and Remus were the only wizards who knew about us that we are aware of and I don't even know if Albus knew that Remus had figured it out." She glanced at the nodding portrait. "It was a measure of the trust between the headmaster and Severus. I, myself, was unaware that Albus knew until I was sick."

"_He has known love,_" McGonagall murmured to herself.

"Sorry?" inquired Esme.

"Something Albus once said about Professor Snape. I had always assumed he meant his mother. Tell me, did Severus ever tell you _why_ Albus trusted him?"

"Aye, but it is not for me to say. That was between the two of them. He told me in confidence." She took a deep breath and plunged on. "You need to understand this – it was not cold-blooded murder, Harry could only tell you what he saw. He was unaware of the underlying cause."

"I'm aware of that now," she snapped out through thinned lips. She turned back to the former headmaster. "Albus, _why_ couldn't you have told me this sooner?" she demanded.

"Because it was Severus' secret to reveal. I am assuming he has given Miss Scott leave to speak of these matters to you, _and to you only_, Minerva."

Minerva glanced at her niece who nodded slightly in acknowledgement.

"Severus is still a spy?" she asked Esme.

"In a manner of speaking." She sighed deeply. "He knows that he has cut all ties to the Order and the school. You must leave it that way. You cannot contact him in any way. Nor can he pass you any further information directly. He will continue trying to undermine the Dark Lord's organisation from within. He is following Dumbledore's final request in this, and who am I to argue?" she finished, a bitter tone in her voice. The tears were threatening to come again and she blinked quickly and bit her lower lip in an attempt to stop them from spilling over. Minerva noticed and, pulling a lace handkerchief from her sleeve, went over to offer it to the younger woman.

"Here, dry your eyes and come sit on the sofa." She led her over to a sofa by the fireplace, sat her down, conjured two more cups of tea and sat down next to her. Esme smiled wanly at her aunt, dabbing at her eyes.

"Sorry for that, Auntie. I know most people would think me daft for it, but I do love him, and I'm afraid that was the last time I'm going to see him alive." She stared down at the cup in her hands.

Minerva was quiet for a moment thinking over all that her niece had just revealed to her. Thirteen years of secrets. It certainly put a new light on several things and some of it gave her a renewed sense of hope. The Protean charm on the school ring was actually very good news! She straightened up.

"Right then," she said with her characteristic Scottish conviction and forthrightness. "Let's move you to my old rooms in Gryffindor tower. With the ring, I think I can convince the governors to leave the school open for those students willing to return. I also think I will have you take Head of House duties. The only other Gryffindor is Hagrid, but he does not qualify, never having graduated, and I do not have enough time for it now."

Esme nodded mutely to this. "I left everything at the cottage. I wasn't sure you would take me in after I told you everything," she murmured.

"Oh, Esme, I wouldn't turn you away. We're family, we stick together. Now, not to worry, I'll send some elves to pack it up. You say Wizby knows your place?"

"Aye, she does. A right help she's been too, over the years."

"Right. Wizby!" she called out to the air. Immediately with a crack of displaced air, Wizby appeared before the Headmistress.

"You called… Miss Essie!" she cried in excitement and rushed over to hug the younger woman.

"Hello, Wizby – you're looking well." She gave the house-elf a squeeze and released her.

"Wizby, Miss Esmerelda is becoming a new teacher with us. I need you to gather up some elves and go fetch her things from the cottage."

Wizby's eyes grew larger with joy. "Of course! To your old rooms, Headmistress?" McGonagall nodded, and Wizby was gone in a flash.

"Well, now that is taken care of, let's go down to the staff room. Dinner should be served soon, and you can meet all the teachers."

"Thank you, Aunt Minerva." She rose up to give her aunt a hug. "I'm sorry I kept this from you. You've taken everything remarkably well, considering. Maybe I should have trusted you sooner. I wasn't going to tell you until Severus insisted I come here and do so."

"No, it is probably for the best that I didn't know until now. At least I know that you have had love in your life all these years. I was really beginning to despair for you!" she jested as they walked along the corridors to the staff room. Esme was silent for a while, soaking in the atmosphere.

"I'll take a look at the syllabus tomorrow and see what supplies I'll need. I could use a lot of advice on the students, themselves," she said, smiling at her aunt.

"Severus didn't give you chapter and verse?"

"Severus taught for several reasons – none of which actually pertained to the students. I made it clear to him early on that I did not care to hear his - shall we say jaded - opinions of them. He rarely praised a student, at least in my hearing," she mused. "Even his own house did not escape the acid tongue. I think he felt they were the worst of the bunch – but of course he couldn't say that to them, they would carry tales back to their Death Eater daddies. He always had to show them favouritism."

Minerva pursed her lips but kept silent on this matter. "Well, when we find out who will be coming back, I'll give you the files to study."

They came to the staff door guarded by the two gargoyles and Minerva opened it, giving Esmerelda the password. "Here is the staff lounge. We eat here during breaks as long as there aren't any students here."

They spent the next few hours talking to the professors still in residence, and Esme gained a new understanding of the school. Slughorn especially was overjoyed to see an old member of his club again. Afterwards Minerva walked her to her new rooms and office.

"Well, it's not the cottage, but it's been home for me for over forty years," McGonagall mused.

Esme looked around at the comfortable set of rooms. Wizby had already performed her magic, and everything important to Esme from the cottage was now put away here. The first room was a sitting room with a large leaded glass window overlooking the grounds. The Gryffindor crest was inset into the middle pane of glass. The mahogany bookcases that surrounded the room were full of all her books and trinkets. Her parlour furniture was here as well. A fire had been lit and warmed the room with its glow.

She peered through the door in a wall and saw a large four poster already made up with her linens. Curled up in the centre of the counterpane was Casey. She could see another door at the far end of the bedchamber leading to the en-suite loo.

"This is perfect, Auntie, thank you. And thank Wizby and her helpers for me as well."

"I'll leave for the night then, and we'll get started in the morning."

"Good night," she said as her aunt left, quietly closing the door behind her. She slowly walked around the room, taking in the area and noticing how different it looked with her items in it than when her aunt had lived there. Minerva's possessions had been comfortable but sparse during her tenure. Esme's belongings filled the space better. She hung up her robes in the clothes press, and went to check out the bathroom, luxuriating in the hot shower, trying out the many different spigots until she found the combination of scents that she loved.

Casey came in and jumped up to the edge of the tub, pacing along the lip crying out his consternation at what he felt was his mistress deliberately drowning herself in water. She laughed at him, finally showing him pity as she shut off the water and, wrapping herself in a large bath sheet, sat on the floor and let him curl up on her lap, kneading her thighs through the terry cloth. He always sheathed his claws when he did this, learning early on that if he wanted to indulge in this manoeuvre, the claws had to stay in. He purred contentedly as she stroked his back, transfiguring a piece of lint from her towel into a round cat comb to remove loose fur from his coat. This was their favourite time together, and it was a routine they indulged in nearly every night.

"Well, Casey, the cat is out of the bag now," Esme stated as she brushed the cat's coat. "Auntie knows all about Severus and is alright with it. Can you believe that?" Casey purred louder as she hit a particularly itchy spot. "Now here we are, back at Hogwarts, Severus is on the run, and I am going to be a teacher. We never saw this in our dreams, did we?" She shook her head to herself as she contemplated the perversity of her prophecy dreams. They never, ever told her what she really wanted to know. She almost wished she would never get them. Oh Lord, Trelawney! Severus had said she was batty – but divinators always recognised each other. She would need to steer clear of her. She did not want to get stuck in a conversation with the woman.

She gave herself a mental shake and banishing the comb, raised herself and the cat off the floor and went in to the bedroom to run her wand over her own hair to dry and comb it, then got into a nightdress, and after braiding the mass of knee-length tresses, snuggled in bed with Casey by her side. Severus was right, she thought as she fingered her class ring before drifting off; she definitely felt infinitely safer inside Hogwarts.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The next several weeks were taken up with tweaking McGonagall's old syllabus, settling into her office and quarters and reacquainting herself with the Hogwarts environs. She managed to convince her aunt to seal Severus' rooms in case he decided to come back when it was all over. She decided to continue her pessimistic-optimism; it kept her sane.

"I'm of two minds over this, Esme," the headmistress had said.

"I know you are. Do it as a favour to me please?" she'd pleaded.

"Like I could ever deny you, cheeky." Minerva acquiesced, _colloportus-_ing the doors.

The governors decided to keep the school open. Without telling them how or why, the Headmistress just stated to them that she had means of getting information from some of Dumbledore's old informants and that they promised her advanced warnings. With the news that the school would reopen, owls with letters from parents re-enrolling their children came trickling in over the rest of the summer. The staff and the Ministry Aurors spent much of their time strengthening the protective spells that Dumbledore had placed on the school the year before and that had weakened with his death.

Minerva did take time off to attend Bill and Fleur's wedding, but Esme stayed behind. As happy as she was for the couple, she preferred to stay away. Let her aunt represent the family – she wasn't sure she could celebrate wholeheartedly for them.

Esme eventually managed to set up a meeting with Lupin in Hogsmeade so that she could tell him the truth about Severus.

She crumpled the note in her hand as she walked along the dirt tunnel that led from the willow to the Shrieking Shack. His reply had been curt, but at least he was willing to meet with her. She reached the trap door and slowly raised it up, stopping momentarily when she saw Lupin's wand aimed at her head. She sighed and finished the manoeuvre, climbing out of the hole and setting the hatch back down.

"Remus, you can put the wand away."

"Can I, Esmerelda?" he said bitterly. "Or is this a meeting to kill me too?"

"Why, in Merlin's name, would I want to kill you, Remus? You are one of the few friends I have."

"Then why are we meeting?" He lowered his wand, but his stance had not yet relaxed.

"Because Severus needs an ally," she said quietly. Remus scoffed.

"Why would I help that traitor? Are you blinded by love, Esme? He. Killed. Dumbledore. End of story. He doesn't need an ally, he needs the Dementor's Kiss," he growled.

"No, Remus, I am not blinded by love. I know what Harry said and what he saw. But he did not hear everything, and he was totally unaware of what was going on between the headmaster and Severus. Will you at least hear me out?"

He nodded once but still stood at the ready. She quickly outlined what Severus had told her, much as she had for Minerva. As she did, she could see him slowly relax and the anger he held toward Severus start to dissipate. There was still resentment there, but no longer any outright killing anger.

As she finished, he sighed and ran his hand through his hair and over his face. He studied her for a moment, calmly standing there having placed her cards on the table and waiting for his reaction, the Shack quietly creaking in the background as it shifted in the winds.

"What do you want me to do?" he finally asked.

"Thank you, Remus." She smiled, and he felt as if the room lit up. No wonder Snape loved this woman. "I need you to be his contact. I have no clue as to how he will contact you or what he will pass on to you by way of information. But he is probably very high and very close to Voldemort by now and also very trusted. His information will be highly valuable. Let him approach you. My job was just to let you know what had really happened so that it would be safe for him to contact you without getting turned in to the Aurors. The only reason we are including you is because you were the only other person who knew of our involvement with each other. Minerva knows as well, I told her after Albus' funeral."

"All right, fine. I'll accept his information. Will there be any way of telling that the intelligence will be coming from him?" he asked, resigned to his new role.

"I have no clue. I doubt it though."

"That will be safer. Right, you better get out of here – the moon is approaching, and I need to cast the wards. Without Severus, I no longer have access to my potion."

She nodded and before he could say anything came over to give him a hug and kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Remus."

"You better be right about this, Esme. I am doing this for you – not for Snape. He better not let us down again." The wolf was starting to shine in his eyes as he stared down at her.

"I am and he won't." She gave him one last kiss as he snorted at her reply and quickly raising the trap door, disappeared down the hole hearing the telltale squelch of the sealing spell behind her.

Too soon, it was the start of the new term. Esme sat at the Head Table in her brand new teaching robes, awaiting the arrival of the first years; the older students already in place. Professor Sprout was busily pointing out certain students to her.

"Ah, and there at the Gryffindor table you see the two redheads? The boy is Ron Weasley and the other is his sister, Ginny. He made Head Boy this year and his team's Quidditch Captain. The girl sitting next to him is Hermione Granger, and she's Head Girl this term. Ah, and there is Neville – my prize student! I don't see Potter though…" she grumbled.

And that was a bone of contention with the headmistress. Harry had decided not to return for his final year. He had spent the summer with his friends, hightailing all over Britain. When his friends had returned, he was not there with them. Instead he was hunting down the rest of the Horcruxes, Voldemort and Severus. Esme wished him luck on two of those goals. He had made it back to the castle over the summer to speak with Albus' portrait, and Esme had been in on that conversation as it had concerned her research work on Horcruxes. She had been impressed with the young man. He seemed much older than his seventeen years, and she could not see a bit of the arrogant brat that Severus always spoke about. But this was James' son, and Snape was always a bit blind where James was concerned. She had been startled when she saw her friend's eyes staring out at her from behind the round glasses though. She thought that was probably what kept Severus from outright hatred of the young man; Lily's eyes.

After the sorting and dinner, Minerva stood up to address the room.

"Welcome to our new students and those who have returned. I would like to introduce you to two new teachers. Professor Torch is the new Defence teacher. Professor Scott will be our new Transfiguration teacher as well as the new Head of Gryffindor House." She waited for the polite applause to die down. "We will also be implementing new procedures this year. There will be drills conducted periodically during the year to prepare you in case of an attempt on the school. These drills will consist of learning where to go and doing it in a timely manner. A claxon will sound throughout the school to let you know when a drill is commencing." She gazed down her nose, giving the entire student body one of her infamous stares. " I expect each and everyone of you to follow the drills precisely whenever they occur, at whatever time of the day they occur. Now, if the Prefects will lead the students to their dormitories, I need to see the Head Boy and Girl up here."

Ron and Hermione made their way against the flow of students up to the Head Table.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley – I would like to introduce you to Miss Scott," McGonagall started. "As Head Boy and Girl are from Gryffindor this year and Miss Scott is your new Head of House, you will be working very closely together."

They all murmured greetings to each other and made arrangements to meet later in the week with the rest of the Prefects.

The next morning Esme handed out schedules to her house at breakfast, learning to affix names to faces. The longest time was spent with the sixth years getting their schedules to reconcile with their O.W.L. scores.

Before she knew it though, Esme was heading towards her classroom and her first lesson, Gryffindor first years.

They started filing in and finding seats as a charmed a piece of chalk began to write her name on the blackboard. She was perched on the desk in her owl form. After all the students were seated, she waited a beat and then transformed back into her human form. The look of incredulousness on their faces showed how good of a hook this bit was to get their attention. Her aunt was truly brilliant.

"Greetings, class. My name is Esmerelda McGonagall Scott, or Professor Scott to you." She gave them a quick grin, and they seemed to relax a bit. "As you have guessed by the similarity in name, I am related to the headmistress; she is my maternal aunt. Now that the introductions are done, let's get to the study of transfiguration. Please open your books to chapter one and study the first page detailing how to change a matchstick into a needle while I pass out the matchsticks."

And she was off and running.

The Christmas holidays were upon her almost before she knew it. What with all her new responsibilities as well as the teaching and drills to conduct, the weeks seemed to fly by. She ended up helping Hagrid and Filius decorate the Great Hall and she had a bit of fun bringing out her decorations and placing them around her rooms, until she came upon the box of gifts from Severus. Her mood for the rest of the week was quite melancholy. She had not heard anything from him. Not that she truly expected to, but a girl can always dream. She managed to hide it quite well, but after the students left for holiday, she retreated to her rooms. Minerva finally had to pry her out of there for Christmas Eve dinner.

"Esmerelda Scott, you are going to come downstairs, now!" the older witch declared as she stormed into her niece's rooms.

"Auntie please, I really don't want…" Esme began to weakly protest.

"For Merlin's sake, Esme, it's Christmas." She walked over to Esme's wardrobe and searched through it for an appropriate Christmas frock. "And," she continued, "I insist that you attend. I am not going to have you all depressed up here during the holidays. Your parents would haunt me forever!" She brought a dress and matching robes over to lay across the back of the divan. "Now, what set this off?"

"I've been so busy, I haven't really had time to brood over Severus and the danger he and everyone else is in and then… I came across this," she said, indicating the box lying partially opened on the table. She sat further back in her chair stroking Casey, as Minerva walked over and poked around a bit.

"These are beautiful pieces. They aren't your family's, are they?"

"No. These came from Severus, one for each year. They are very precious to me, but seeing them brought everything back and I've been in a funk ever since."

Minerva pursed her lips a bit. "Come on, I'll help you put these about and you can tell me about them. Then you are going to freshen up, get into these nice robes and come downstairs tonight. You need company and diversion," she said as she offered a hand to her niece to help her up off the sofa.

Esme shrugged her shoulders in defeat and joined her aunt in placing the pieces around the room, relishing the chance to tell her about all the gifts and stories surrounding them.

Dinner was much better than she had imagined. She sat between Filius and Minerva and broke crackers with both of them getting a wonderful chess set from one and a wonderful warm tartan shawl in the other.

"Filius, I never have learned to play this well. I have a friend who tries to get me to play, but he soundly trounces me each and every time." She ignored the snort that came from the direction of her aunt. "You'll have to teach me over winter!"

"Oh, I can do that. I'll set up a game in the lounge," he agreed enthusiastically.

"Perfect, I…" But she was interrupted by the sound of many fluttering wings as owls flew in carrying gifts for the teachers. A small scopes owl landed in front of her plate. "For me?" she asked as she reached for the small parcel and letter tied to the bird's legs. The handwriting was very familiar to her and her heart gave a huge leap. She jostled Minerva's elbow. "Auntie, it's from him!" she whispered.

"What! Don't open it here. The party is breaking up, let's go to my office – you can open it privately there." The two women made their goodbyes and hurried through the halls and up to the Headmistress' office. Once there, Minerva woke up Albus' portrait while Esme opened the letter, setting the tiny parcel aside for later. The letter was long – this was good.

_My dearest Esmerelda,_

_I no longer have a watcher on me constantly, and thus I was able to pen this missive to you._

_First off, you can tell Minerva and that insufferable portrait that my mission is going as planned. I have been able to identify the rest of the Horcruxes and was able to get that information to Potter through another source – he does not know I am the one providing the information. Unfortunately, the last one is the snake, as you suspected, Albus, and will have to wait until the final confrontation to be taken out. I believe that will be my task while P concentrates on V._

_Draco has now received the full bite from Fenrir. He was found recently, hiding with his mother – she was forced to watch; then the Dark Lord murdered her in front of Draco as a warning. Advise Minerva not to let him back in school as he refuses to take the potion. He may have a death wish._

"Merlin's beard!" Minerva exclaimed. Dumbledore only shook his head sadly.

I do not know if I'll be able to write to you again. I pray you are still wearing your ring. I intend to survive this and make my way back to your side. Until then, your gift this year is one I had commissioned for you several years ago. I balked at giving it to you then – I felt that to do so would put you in danger, and it would be making promises I didn't know if I would be able to keep. I am throwing caution to the wind and ask that you wear this gift as a promise of my return. I hope that when I do, I'll finally be able to ask you a certain question. Ask Dumbledore about it after you see it.

_I love you, Esme, and with this small token I proclaim it to you and to anyone else who cares to notice. Wear it and know that you hold my heart in your hands._

_Forever yours,_

_SS_

"Oh, my…" Esme murmured, quickly dashing the tears from her eyes and forcing the lump back down her throat. She smiled as she picked up the parcel and, with shaking hands, tore off the paper. A small, blue velvet box lay in her hands. She heard a mumbled "Good for you, Severus" from the portrait behind the Head's desk. She slowly opened it up and gasped in surprise as she gazed at the ring inside, nestled in the white silk lining. As she lifted out the ruby and emerald ring, she noticed writing on the inside of the band. She tilted it towards the firelight to read '_Always entwined, never apart. ES & SS'_. Her breath caught in her throat as she recognised the words he had said to her two years earlier. She detected the tingling of a protective charm emanating from the circlet, and she recognised the magical signature. She turned to the portrait.

"Right, Dumbledore, what do you know about this?" she demanded.

"He showed it to me three summers ago, after the tournament. The day you flew up here to ask me if you could join the Order. He had meant to ask you that summer but Voldemort's return stymied that. I placed the protective charm you feel as well as the engravings. The charm will keep others from seeing it for what it really is. You can remove it when Severus is safe. It was my blessing on you two. Wear it in good conscience, my dear. He really does love you deeply. I am glad he finally decided to let you have it."

Minerva wandered over to where her niece sat near the fire. "Esme, it's beautiful." She grinned down at her. "And do you know what answer you'll give him?"

Esme smiled at her aunt as she slipped the ring onto her left hand and felt the charm snap into place. "Of course I do, it has always been 'Yes'. He just needs to ask." She stood up and twirled in place, her smile lighting up her face. "Aye, Auntie, it is a happy Christmas indeed!" She gave Minerva a quick hug and kiss and swept out of the office never hearing the chuckling from behind the desk.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 16a

Interlude

Remus walked quickly along the semi-deserted streets around Diagon Alley. With the attacks increasing daily, being out in the open was not safe. Shops were closing before dark and some had closed permanently. The twins' joke shop was still doing a booming business however. Lupin smiled slightly to himself as he saw and heard the raucous business. But the twins shop was not where he was heading this day. Today, he had to head into Knockturn Alley to get some Doxycide as the flat he was currently living in was infested.

He turned up the dark alley hunching into his tattered cloak against the cold brisk breeze. Winter was coming sooner this year. The shop he wanted was halfway down the alley and he walked quickly, keeping his head lowered. He didn't see the group of men exiting _Borgin and Burkes _and the upraised eyebrow of one of them. But he heard in his mind the request:

'_Lupin, start a fight with me!'_

Remus looked up and his eyes immediately locked onto Snape's. So, Snape had something for him? It was about time. He was beginning to wonder if Esmerelda had been right. He growled deep in his throat, aiming all his pent-up anger at the figure in front of him. Whipping out his wand, he aimed it at Snape's face.

"You traitor! How could you do that, how could you kill him!" he screamed, unconsciously taking a duelling stance as he stared at the former professor.

Snape's companions started laughing at the sight of the almost beggared werewolf attempting to start a fight with Snape. The contrast of the two men was ludicrous. Lucius Malfoy sneered down along his patrician nose at the man.

"Severus, what is this _thing_ in front of us, and are you going to finish it off or shall I?"

Snape laughed a cruel laugh. "No, Lucius – this is my fight. Stay out of it." As he pulled out his wand, Lucius shrugged and motioned to the other Death Eaters to stand back. This should give them some entertainment for the afternoon; this was a fight long in coming, he felt. The rest of the street quickly cleared as the overly cautious clientele and residents recognised a burgeoning duel in process.

"Well, wolf, are you just going to stand there?" sneered Snape. "_Rictumsempra!_" Lupin dodged the hex and returned with a blasting charm, which Snape easily deflected to splash harmlessly against a wall. The duel went on for several minutes with the Death Eaters cheering on Snape and jeering at the werewolf. The two men started to wear down as the spells started making their way through the shield charms. They were both breathing hard and shaking from various hexes. Their cloaks showed the effects of cutting charms that had come too close for comfort. They began to narrow the circle toward each other as they continued casting jinxes and hexes. Eventually the two men got close enough for Lupin to rush at Snape and land a fist on the other man's jaw. Snape staggered back a bit, shaking his head to get rid of the ringing in his ears, but recovered quickly and lunged toward Remus, grabbing the man's cloak and muttering '_Expelliarmus'._ Remus flew back against a brick wall as his wand arched through the air into Snape's hand. In two steps Snape was on top of him again with his hand around Remus' throat, the length of the cloak conveniently hiding Snape's slight of hand manoeuvre as he leaned in to snarl in the werewolf's face. Remus heard the whisper of the _Legilimens_ again in his head. _'Very good, wolf. I've placed your wand back in your pocket. Meet me tonight in Godric's Hollow.'_

Out loud, Snape snarled in Lupin's face, "I'm going to let you live, wolf, but only because it is more expedient to _my _purposes to do so. Take this message back to your precious do-gooders: the Dark Lord will triumph, and he _will_ kill Potter. The brat hasn't a chance. Stop now while you can and bow to the Dark Lord's clear dominion, or you will be picked off one by one." As he said this he punched Lupin hard in the face with one hand and in the stomach with the other, leaving the werewolf retching in the dirt. Snape swirled away to rejoin his companions as they Apparated away from the scene, still laughing although they didn't notice that Snape only sneered.

As the denizens of the alley slowly made their way back out into the twilight, they ignored the man slowly regaining his feet and gave him a wide berth as he stumbled back along the alley to the entrance. He slowly straightened himself up with a grimace, settling his cloak again around his shoulders and feeling the reassuring weight of his wand in his pocket before entering Diagon Alley again.

He wasn't surprised that there weren't any Aurors around; they avoided Knockturn Alley like the plague, leaving the scum to themselves. He totally forgot about the Doxycide and as he was in no shape to Apparate without splinching himself, headed back towards the Leaky Cauldron to floo back to his flat and get ready for his meeting with Severus in Godric's Hollow. He definitely needed some healing draughts.

Severus stood in the shadows of the large oak tree that stood guard over the remains of the Potter house. Not that there was anything to see. The usable timber from the destruction of the place had been hauled away immediately and the land had reclaimed everything else over the intervening years. The plot still belonged to Potter though and thus had never been rebuilt.

He remembered the altercation in Knockturn Alley that afternoon; it had been felicitous to see the wolf. He had hoped Esme had been able to convince Lupin to trust him again and apparently she had as Remus had gone along with the fight. Damn, his jaw still hurt! '_It was worth it.' _He smirked to himself. For the first time in months he was finally free of his watchers. The show had been convincing enough for Lucius to report to Voldemort that there was no doubt about Snape's loyalties. Wormtail had finally been removed from Spinner's End and was back to grovelling at Riddle's feet. Snape snorted to himself; what a useless waste of flesh that sycophant was.

A snap of displaced air alerted him to the arrival of Lupin. He watched as the man slowly made his way around the perimeter of the property, staying low to the ground and in the shadows. He grudgingly was amazed at Lupin's ability to blend in and sneak. He was almost acting like a Slytherin! He managed to lose sight of the wolf however, and was startled when Lupin managed to come up behind him and place his wand against the back of Severus' neck.

"Damn, I hate being back here. Let's make this quick," Lupin snarled in a low whisper.

"Fine with me, it's too bloody cold." He turned around to face Remus as the other man lowered his wand. "How's the jaw?" he snarled.

"Probably in same shape as yours; a bit sore. I'll live. What do you have for us?"

"A list of all the remaining Horcruxes and their locations. Potter will know what to do with them." He handed over a piece of parchment which Lupin quickly secreted somewhere on his person. "Also, on Hallowe'en there will be a raid on families of Muggleborn students. I don't know which ones are being targeted, just that it is being planned. I may know closer to the attacks. Be here on the twenty-seventh; if I have names, I'll give them to you then." Remus nodded. "How is she?"

"She's all right. McGonagall took her in and she is working at the school. Do you have a message for her?"

"No, it would just make it worse for her. I can't raise her hopes right now. You better go, it doesn't do to stand around here too long."

Remus nodded and stepping a bit to the side, turned in place and Disapparated. Snape followed soon after. The old oak sighed in the wind as it was left alone again.

The two men continued to meet periodically for Snape to transfer information to the Order. Their meeting places and times were scattered to throw off any hint of continued spying on Snape's part. He had even been able to snag an owl one night close to Christmas and get a message and the engagement ring off to Esme. It was better if that particular piece of jewellery was not found on his person. Remus finally reported that Harry had been successful in finding the other Horcruxes, thanks to Snape's information, and destroyed them. This left only Nagini to be dealt with, and Snape knew that would have to be tackled during the final battle.

Voldemort's attacks started escalating further, and the clashes with the Aurors and the Order members were occurring more frequently and with greater violence. There were losses on both sides of people who would be sorely missed in the final confrontations. After finding and destroying the Horcruxes, Harry was furthering his defence training; honing his skills and adding to his knowledge of spells. He even managed to find a trainer in Occlumency and was finally able to master the skill that had so eluded him the past couple of years. With the proper motivation, anything was possible. His wandless skills and his ability to do the spells silently also increased as he furthered his mastery of Occlumency.

Eventually Voldemort tired of the skirmishes and wanted an all-out battle. He decided to finally attack Hogsmeade with all of his forces with the intention of breaking into the school. He was hoping to wreak a lot of havoc before the Aurors and Order members caught wind of it.

Lupin waited for Snape in the Shrieking Shack. He would be back here in two nights' time for the transformation, and he needed to check on the wards. It was a warm April night and the house moved gently on its foundation with the slight breeze. He heard the knock on the door and quickly moved to answer it. Severus slinked in and did not let his hood drop down until the door was closed and warded. He removed a warded cup from his cloak and, charming it back to its full size, handed it over to Lupin. Remus sniffed, then gratefully downed the smoking contents.

"Wolfsbane? Severus, how can I thank you?" he said after gagging a bit, as always. He handed the goblet back to Severus who banished it.

"By being sane during the attacks," he responded curtly. "The Dark Lord is timing the final battle to correspond with the full moon so that his werewolves will be the most dangerous. We need you to be out there to counteract them. Are there any other werewolves who might be willing to join you for the Order's sake and fight with you against the Dark Lord's wolves?"

"A few, if I can get them the potion. Where will the attack be?"

"Here in Hogsmeade with the main objective being the school. I'll get you some more potion tomorrow morning and leave it here. Bring your comrades here tomorrow night to prepare. I will warn Esme when it gets closer so she can get the students away. Too soon and the act of the school preparing will tip our hand. The Dark Lord is personally leading the attack and everyone will be there. This is it, Lupin, I hope Potter is ready."

"He is. He's made sure of it. I'll go warn the Order tonight, and we'll have everyone in place by the full moon."

Snape nodded wordlessly and lifting his hood again, opened the door to sneak out into the night and Apparate back to Spinner's End.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 17

Esme was quite worried now. It had been a week since Voldemort's vanquishing at Potter's hands, and she still had not heard from Severus. She knew he had been alive at the start of the battle. The charmed school ring had worked quite well, and all the months of drills the students and staff had been through made the evacuation operate smoothly.

Right in the middle of a fifth-year class, the ring had warmed up. She flooed a note to tell Minerva to set off the warning claxon and hustled the students to their assigned evacuation point. The castle cleared out in record time, and Esme had gone with the students to help keep the panic level down. She never got to see the final battles.

She heard about them afterwards; how Harry had faced the Dark Lord and how Severus showed his true colours by killing Nagini. How with a murmured "Do it now, boy", he placed his back to Harry's and kept the Death Eaters at bay during the final duel along with other Order members and Aurors accompanied by loyal werewolves. After that, no one seemed to know what had happened to Snape. The fighting had continued for a week and actually still continued as pockets of resistance were being uncovered. '_I wonder if Severus is feeding the Ministry that information,'_ she thought to herself.

Tonight was to be a well-earned celebration. Harry was returning to the school with the rest of the surviving members of the Order of the Phoenix.

Filius and Esme had turned the Great Hall into a large party room. The long house tables were against the wall acting as sideboards for the evening. The tables practically groaned under all the finger foods and punch bowls of drinks that the house-elves had produced. In the centre of the room and around the huge fireplaces were small tables and comfortable chairs creating several conversation areas.

Esme had changed into a set of light blue dress robes and matching dress and was sitting quietly on a divan by one of the fireplaces enjoying a cup of tea. A tall young man made his way quietly over to her.

"Professor Scott?" he inquired politely.

"Harry, have a seat! I feel like I know you so much better now after my many conversations with Ron and Hermione." She patted the cushion next to her in invitation. "What can I do for you?"

He gratefully sat down next to her. "Well, I hope it's what I can do for you. Professor McGonagall said you had some questions about the last battle concerning Snape?"

Her eyes snapped up at that. "Aye, Harry, I do. I was hoping to find out if he had survived."

"May I ask?" he questioned her with a dark look on his face.

"He is an old, and dear friend of mine, Harry. I worry about him," she said simply, as she fingered the ring on her left hand. She had nullified the charm earlier that day.

"Ah, I see. Well, there's not much to tell. After I killed Voldemort, we were swept apart by the fighting. I know he was fighting Bellatrix Lestrange at one point, and he must have come through that intact because I ran across her body a few hours later." He paused, gathering his courage, and asked her, "Professor, how well do you know him?"

Esme glanced at the emeralds and ruby glinting on her hand and let a small smile touch her face. "Very well, Harry, why?"

"Well, when he switched sides in the battle and backed me up, it was unbelievable; especially after last summer. I had called him some horrible things. I'm still not sure what was going on! He killed Dumbledore. If he was on our side, why'd he do that?"

"Harry, you were meant to see what you saw that night and to make the interpretation of the events that you did. It allowed Professor Snape to leave the castle and make a clean break so that he could go deep undercover among the Death Eaters. He was able to do certain things that way, and no one in the castle or the Order could know any different. I knew and the Headmistress knew – but we could not capitalise on that information. It would have placed him in mortal danger. I'm sure you are unaware that the locations and identities of the Horcruxes came from him?" He looked startled at that revelation.

"No, I didn't know that. I was only told that someone deep inside had gotten the information. We were never told the identity."

She paused, considering her next words. She noticed someone lurking in the shadows of the fireplace, but she could not see who it was. She ignored them as she concentrated on getting Harry to understand. "Harry, he told me what you called him last summer." She paused as he fidgeted a bit, his cheeks going red. "While he was livid, he also understood what motivated you to call him that. Dumbledore sacrificed himself for you, for Draco, and for Severus. Professor Snape had to kill one of the two people in this world who trusted him and knew him for who he truly was. Dumbledore had made him promise to do this as soon as he knew of Draco's mission. Dumbledore was dying anyway; were you aware of that? He was mere minutes from dying from the curse he had suffered the previous summer – the one that had blackened his arm. He and Severus made sure that his death would count for something. Do you still think that this was the act of a coward?"

He flinched as his word came back to haunt him. He was silent a moment. "I think I owe him an apology," Harry said at last, looking down at his clenched hands in his lap.

"Yes, Potter, I believe you do," said a dark, silky voice as the figure emerged from the shadows and came to stand next to the divan.

The result was immediate; Esme's cup crashed to its saucer, and Harry jumped up and spun around to face the Potions Master.

"Sir, I… erm." Harry swallowed convulsively and started again. "Sir, I wish to apologise for my behaviour last year and last summer and to erm… thank you for your assistance last week." Harry slowly reached out his right hand to his old Potions Master and nemesis.

Snape had his arms crossed across his chest and his customary sneer on his face as he listened to Potter's apology. He apparently waited a moment too long to respond because Esme sighed and chided him from where she sat.

"Severus…"

"Oh, alright." He took the proffered hand and shook it once before dropping it. "Apology accepted, Potter. Now, if you don't mind, you are blocking access to my seat!" His face softened somewhat though as he added, "Besides, I see Miss Weasley has just arrived and is over by the punch bowl."

Blushing happily, Harry nodded to the two teachers and quickly took his leave. Esme chuckled quietly to herself as she watched the teenager hurry to his love. She knew that getting away from Severus was also adding wings to his feet!

Severus eased himself down on the seat next to Esme and, taking her left hand in his, ran his thumb over her fingertips and brushed across the ring. He stared hungrily into her eyes, letting their cool green gaze bathe his soul. Slowly he brought her fingertips to his lips to kiss them, sending the old thrill down her spine. She raised her other hand up to run it across his cheek, revelling in the feel of him.

"I see you got my present," he eventually said, quietly, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Aye, and I've worn it ever since," she whispered back, giving his hand a squeeze. "God's, Severus, I've been so worried about you. The information I just got from Harry is the first I've heard in days." Her eyes were filling up, despite her attempts to keep her emotions in check. Severus noticed and reached up with his other hand to brush the tears away.

"Shhh, Esme, I know. I had to track down some people specifically and give information to the Ministry about others. I had no time to pen you a note. I'm so sorry. Here." He pulled out a handkerchief from his robes and handed it to her. He looked around at the crowded room; he couldn't talk to her here. "Let's go take a walk, I have some things to discuss with you, and I don't fancy saying them with the entire school witnessing. I do still have a reputation to uphold!"

She laughed at that, he was glad to see, and took his proffered hand to help her up. He kept hold of it tucked in his arm as they slowly made their way across the room. He halted next to Minerva long enough to whisper, "I'm going to go snog your niece senseless. Any objections?" She snorted the tea she had been drinking. "I thought not," he said coolly as he continued out the doors of the Great Hall, down the wide, marble stairs and out the main doors of the castle. He didn't bother to pay attention to the excited murmurings the sight of the couple together caused among the students and teachers alike. They walked quietly around the grounds, silently revelling in each other's presence, ending up in the rose garden.

Snape led her to a small, secluded bench, overhung with fragrant climbing roses – of the Muggle variety. He gently cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly, lingering at the feel of having her to himself again. Her arms came up to entwine themselves around his neck as the kiss deepened in intensity and she seemed to melt into his arms. He held her tightly, never wanting to release her. Eventually, though, they had to come up for air. Severus leaned his forehead against hers as her fingers played absently with his hair at the nape of his neck.

"Esme, I want to ask you a question…" he started, after taking a deep breath.

She smiled up at him. "Is this the question you danced around at Christmas time in your letter when you sent me this fantastic ring."

"That is no ordinary ring, Esme."

"I know it's not. I spoke with Albus' portrait about it, as you suggested."

He slipped to his knee on the garden path, taking her hands in his. "Do you have an answer for me?"

"Well, I believe you need to properly ask me first," she said, the hint of laughter in her voice and her eyes twinkling.

"I did!" He thought back as he watched her shake her head. "I didn't? Well, in that case: Esmerelda McGonagall Scott, will you consent to marry me?"

She left him hanging just a moment too long, and a worried look came over his face. She relented finally. "Aye, I will marry you!" she said, laughing at the astonishment and relief in his face as he re-took his seat next to her.

"I don't deserve this," he murmured, love in his eyes as he looked at her. He lifted the hands he held in his and kissed them, then leaned in again to kiss her some more.

"Perhaps, but I've waited fourteen years for you to ask that question, and when you finally get up the courage to do so, I'm not going to throw all that patience away." She pulled his face towards hers and kissed him passionately beneath the roses.

Later, in her rooms, as they lay entwined amongst the bedclothes in front of her fire, Esme reached a finger up to trace the new lines on her lover's face. He let her continue a moment before capturing her hand with his own, opening her palm and placing feather kisses into it. She groaned in pleasure as his lips traced trails of fire from her palm, to her wrist, up her forearm, to her shoulder; gasping as he paid especially attention to the hollow between her collarbone and neck. Closing her eyes, she let him take charge of the lovemaking as he laid her back down and teased her mouth open with his tongue. She let herself get lost in the sensations.

Drenched in sweat, but completely sated for now, she curled up in his arms and was on her way to a sound sleep when Severus whispered something into her ear.

"What was that?" she asked.

"I asked," he said in a louder whisper, the smooth, low bass tones of his voice sliding over her skin like silk, arousing her once more, "If you had a specific date in mind for our binding?" He had told her Dumbledore's joke on the matter earlier in the evening, and she agreed that a wizard wedding was more to their taste.

"Depends on if we want a private ceremony or let the whole school join in," she murmured.

He brushed some hair from her face. She had let him unplait her hair earlier to let it fall about her. It reached to her knees now, and he gloried in its textures and colours as it caressed them during their lovemaking. He turned the question back to her. "What do you want?"

She was quiet for a moment; so long he thought she had fallen asleep. "I think a small private ceremony, don't you?"

He nuzzled her neck laying some butterfly kisses next to her collarbone. "Most definitely, a private ceremony." He strengthened the hold he had around her and felt her sigh contentedly as she finally dropped off. He followed soon after.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 18

The next day, as students were packing up to head home for the summer, Snape was ensconced in the headmistress' office with Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but there is still the matter of Professor Dumbledore's death. The only reason we have not taken Severus into custody is because of his actions during the last battle and the information leading to the pockets of resistance, as well as your promise to hold his surety," Shacklebolt was saying to McGonagall. "However, we cannot let this murder go un-prosecuted."

"Kingsley, I've told you that the murder was not what it seemed," Minerva protested.

"Proof, Professor. The Wizengamot will need proof," he insisted. "Potter's story went far and wide as to what he saw that evening. We all believed it ourselves. Sorry, Severus," he nodded towards Snape who sat stiffly in the wooden chair in front of Minerva's desk.

"Not at all, Shacklebolt. It was designed to appear that way on purpose. However, I may have a solution to our dilemma," he indicated. "I am fairly certain that Albus left a memory strand of our discussion and of his decisions regarding that task. It will show that Albus was dying and knowingly, to spare an innocent life, made me promise to carry out that task, if the situation should come to that." They all turned towards the portrait of the former headmaster, who nodded sagely in his frame.

"It is in my wizard safe, Minerva, behind Godric's portrait – yes, there." Minerva swung Gryffindor's portrait to the side to reveal a Gringott's type vault door. She ran her wand over it in a complicated pattern, and they heard the locks tumble. When the door slid aside, she reached her hand in and pulled out a vial that contained a memory strand. Pearly white, it glistened as it flowed along the inner walls of the glass. She handed the vial to the Auror.

"Keep that safe, Kingsley. Do you need anything else?" she inquired, a bit tartly.

"No." He turned towards Snape. "Severus, your hearing will be next Friday at ten o'clock. We will present the Pensieve testimony at that time. You will be administered Veritaserum as well," he said almost apologetically.

"I understand," Snape acknowledged, eyes hooded.

"In the meantime, you are restricted to Hogwarts grounds. Two Aurors will arrive on Friday to escort you."

Severus just nodded again in resignation.

"If that is all then?" he finally asked. When McGonagall indicated that the meeting was concluded, Severus rose and removed himself from her office.

Esme walked Severus down to the gates on Friday morning to meet the Aurors. Since she was not allowed to attend the hearing she was planning to head to the cottage to do some cleaning after Severus had left with the Aurors. Not that the cottage needed a massive cleaning but it would keep her mind off of the proceedings.

Severus walked with her arm tucked in his, quiet and sombre. He had no feeling either way as to how this hearing was going to go. He could be in Azkaban tonight if it went badly. As they approached the gates, he could see the Aurors standing just beyond. Casting a glance in their direction, he stopped before crossing over the boundary and pulled Esme to him, letting her quiet strength flow into his soul.

"Severus, I love you, you know that," she said softly. "I'll be here for you, no matter what happens."

"I know, Esmerelda. I love you as well," he whispered into her hair. He gave her a soft kiss and released her to go over the boundary line to the waiting Aurors. With a sudden snap of air, the three were gone.

A moment later she too had crossed outside the borders and was on her way to the cottage.

"The accused being present, I call this hearing to order," Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour said, pounding a gavel onto the table in front of him. The courtroom quieted down.

Scrimgeour picked up a parchment and began to read from it.

"Severus Snape, you have been charged with the death of Albus Dumbledore. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty." A roar from the gallery met his answer. Scrimgeour pounded his gavel again to regain control. Snape sat coolly in the witness chair, the chains hanging laxly over the sides for now. He would never let them see how their reactions affected him.

"We have testimony from witnesses that say otherwise!" Scrimgeour said towards him and the gallery at large.

"Your witness could only report what he saw, Minister. What he saw was not what happened," Severus explained as if lecturing a class. He needed to keep his composure. They had already administered the Veritaserum, and he could feel the effects coursing through his veins and his brain.

"And how do you explain the circumstances, sir?" the Minister of Magic asked.

"Nothing more than a _coupe de grace_, as the headmaster requested," he explained.

"When did he request this?" Scrimgeour's secretary Percy Weasley was hurriedly keeping up with the conversation, quill flying over parchment.

"Twice. Once in the previous summer and again atop the Astronomy Tower on the night in question in June of 1997."

"Do you have proof of this?" Scrimgeour sounded doubtful that any concrete proof existed.

"I do." The minister looked taken aback at the answer. Snape let a bit of his scorn show through when he stated, "I call forth Kingsley Shacklebolt." A ministry official sent the request through the doors, and a moment later the tall black Auror was striding down the aisle carrying a Pensieve. He conjured a pedestal and set the vessel down upon it.

"Minister, earlier this week I was able to obtain a memory from Albus Dumbledore that he had drawn out and bottled two summers ago. I was also able to obtain several memories from Mr. Potter and from the accused as to what truly happened the night of the seventh of June, 1997." He lined up several marked bottles in front of the Pensieve. "The latter memories were obtained under Veritaserum," he added. "Professor Snape has cooperated fully with the MLE since the end of the war."

"Have you viewed these memories, Shacklebolt?"

"No, sir. However, I have transcripts of the questioning that took place under the Veritaserum after the memories were obtained. It verifies that there are two different interpretations as to what happened that evening." He conjured a set of tightly rolled parchments and presented them to the Minister. He unrolled them and after glancing at them for a moment, passed them on to Percy, who quickly made duplicates and passed those out to the remaining Wizengamot members.

"All right, Shacklebolt, let's see Dumbledore's memory," growled the Minister of Magic.

Shacklebolt picked up the marked vial and after breaking the seal, uncorked it and poured the contents into the Pensieve. Chanting a spell over the bowl, he stepped back as the lights dimmed and a scene, like a holographic projection, appeared above the stone bowl. It showed Dumbledore sending a Patronus towards the castle as he ran across the grounds, his left arm grabbing his right at the elbow as he finally stumbled up the steps to the Great Doors. As he stood there panting, leaning against the stone balustrade - his face grimaced in pain, the doors were yanked open and Severus hurried out and gathered Dumbledore against him as he drew him into the castle.

As Snape watched the scene unfold in front of him in the darkened courtroom, his hands clenched the forearms of the chair until his knuckles were white with the strain and he found himself transported back to that painful night in his memories.

_The whisper of the Patronus message filled his ears with Dumbledore's voice._

"_Severus, I am coming in, meet me at the front doors! It's urgent!"_

_He hurried out of his office and rushed through the empty dungeon passages and up the grey stone stairs to the entrance hall. Crossing to the Great Doors, he flung one open to see Albus in obvious pain clutching his wand arm and panting, his face white with the strain. He gathered the older wizard to him before he collapsed to the stone floor and nearly gasped in horror as he cast a quick diagnostic spell and saw a death hex eating up the headmaster's energies. This was not something Pomfrey could fix, accomplished Medi-witch that she was. This was Dark Arts magic – and best fixed by one steeped in that lore. He manoeuvred Albus towards the dungeon passageways to his private office._

_When he got there, he set the nearly comatose man down in one of the armchairs and summoned a whole host of potions from his personal lab._

"_Albus, stay with me," he coaxed. "How did this happen? Did you have a fight again with the Dark Lord?" he asked casting charms and more diagnostic spells in an attempt to halt the progression of the pernicious curse as he tried to determine which one it was._

"_No…" the older man groaned. "Hexed ring…" He pulled up the sleeve of his robe to show the blackened hand and forearm and the ring with the cracked stone still on his finger. As Snape watched, the blackening slowly continued to desiccate the arm, creeping up towards the elbow. He immediately grabbed one of the summoned bottles and tipped it towards Dumbledore's mouth._

"_Confutomortus, Albus – two swallows, now." _

_The headmaster complied with his request and as Severus watched, the tissue decay slowed and halted. Casting another diagnostic spell showed the energy depletion to also be slowing down, but not stopping completely._

_Cursing, he grabbed two more bottles and had Dumbledore swallow draughts from both of those as well. While they slowed the progression of the death curse further, they did not halt it. He tried casting some spells at the man with no change._

"_Albus, I have given you three of the strongest potions ever made for these types of curses and cast the strongest hex nullifying charms I know, and it is not working. What in Merlin's name did you do today?"_

"_The ring was cursed, and when I attempted to destroy it, the curse backfired on me. I felt the backfire building up and was able to cast a protection spell to deflect most of it, but alas, as you see, it did not protect my hand." He was silent a moment longer then resumed, eyeing his friend with a haunted but resigned look. "Am I dying, Severus?" he asked his Potions Professor softly._

_The younger man, who had knelt beside his chair, nodded in assent. Albus sucked in some air quickly at the news. "How long?" he asked gravely, a moment later._

_Snape straightened up and ensconced himself in the chair opposite his headmaster. "A year at best," he said quietly._

"_Then we have some things to discuss. Plans have to be accelerated. I believe, my boy, it is time for you to take the Defence job. You know what this means for next year – you will be forced to leave the castle and rejoin Voldemort's ranks permanently to work from within."_

_Severus just nodded. "And whom will you find for the Potions position?"_

_A bit of the old twinkle came back to Albus' eyes. "Oh, I believe Horace is still available – if I can discover where he is hiding these days." Snape just grunted in reply._

"_Sir, there is something else you need to know – for your own safety. There was a meeting this afternoon. Your life is now on the line. He has assigned Draco the task of ending it."_

"_Has he taken the Dark Mark?"_

"_No, this will be his initiation rite per se. With his father's disappointments and failures, He is setting this task for Draco to show his utmost loyalty to the Dark Lord. He will get the mark only if and when he succeeds. My job will be to aid him and be here for him."_

"_As it should, Severus, as it should. But Severus, he must not succeed."_

"_I understand, sir…"_

"_No, I don't think you do." He grimaced in pain as he shifted the position of his arm to one a bit more comfortable. " I only mean he cannot become a murderer, I cannot let one of my students do that again while they reside in my school – not cold bloodedly. You must determine how he intends to accomplish his goal and thwart it – if you can. If you cannot, then __you__ must carry out the deed."_

_Snape was shocked. "Headmaster, you can't honestly believe I would…"_

"_You must, my boy! From what you have said here tonight, it is only a matter of time before this hex finishes me off. Therefore, let us make it do double duty."_

"_Double duty?"_

"_Use it to cement your position in the Dark Lord's camp." He was on a roll now. "I will get my affairs in order over the summer so that all is ready when term starts. However, I have a feeling that Draco's heart, once faced with the actual prospect of murdering me, will not be entirely in the task. This may give us some time to work on him. That will also be your task, Severus, discreetly of course."_

"_Of course…" he echoed. His consternation must have shown on his face, because the headmaster reached over to lay a hand on his knee._

"_Severus, this is my wish. I am dead already. If I must die to serve the cause of Light, I would rather it be from a friend's hand than an enemy's."_

"_You are asking quite a lot, Headmaster."_

"_I know, but I am counting on you. I must count on you, for only you have the courage to see this all the way to the end." He looked over at the Potions Master he considered as a son and sighed. "I know that you feel yourself to be a complete Slytherin, Severus, but I believe there is just a bit of Gryffindor in you as well," he teased._

"_It's being surrounded by them in the bloody Order; it's rubbing off!" Snape snorted._

_Albus chuckled, then winced at the pain it caused in his arm. "I am beginning to feel a bit tired. If you don't mind, I shall borrow your Floo to get to my office." He gingerly arose from his chair and made his way to the empty grate, holding his damaged arm gingerly at his side after shaking down his sleeve to cover it completely from view._

"_Here are some potions for sleep and rejuvenation. They should help regain some of the energy that was lost," Severus offered to his superior. "They will not however, stop the progression. You need to be careful Albus; another blow like today and it will likely finish you off before Draco even makes an attempt." Snape stood there in his most stern Potions Master pose, arms crossed across his chest. Dumbledore just chuckled again._

"_Thank you, Severus." After pocketing the vials, he reached into the box of Floo powder on the mantel and throwing a pinch into the firebox, stepped into the green flames and vanished. _

As the lights came back up, the figure of Snape slowly turned in the Pensieve and then disappeared back into the white fog of the basin. Murmuring voices filled the echoing chambers as Severus slowly came back to the present himself. He unclenched his hands and massaged the blood back into them, ignoring the prickling pain.

Again, Rufus Scrimgeour rapped for attention. "Shacklebolt, I would like to see the defendant's recollections of the same evening."

"Of course, sir."

And so it went. Severus sat and watched as more memories were exhibited before the court, spilling his innermost thoughts to the wizarding world. Then came the witness testimonies: Potter in particular, who – with an apologetic nod in Snape's direction – retold that night in June from his perspective. Damning as that evidence was, they also showed Severus' memories of that night, from the point Flitwick came into his office until he had reached the outer edges of the grounds and Disapparated. At least these contained what Dumbledore had legilimened to him – coming across as whispered words in Albus' voice.

"_Do it, my boy. Do it now – Potter is watching. You must do it now!"_

Severus sat quietly in the defendant's chair, his hands clutching the armrests until his knuckles were white again; the only sign of his consternation as the magistrates deliberated in whispers.

Finally they broke apart and Scrimgeour looked at his fellow magistrates as he asked, "Are we all agreed then?" At the nods from the others, he rapped his gavel a final time.

"Severus Snape. It is the determination of this court that in the matter of the death of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore we find you not guilty. The _coupe de grace_ is not considered murder in our world. You are free to depart." And with that short statement he gathered up his papers and stepped down from the podium to leave. Percy followed and both refused to look at Snape as they passed him.

It took Snape a few seconds to absorb the fact that he had been exonerated, then after accepting congratulations from Shacklebolt and Potter, he hastily left the chambers as well.

At the cottage, Esme had been up in the attic going through old boxes of things that had been in her family for ages. She had turned up several old spell books, old school robes and Quidditch uniforms, broken cauldrons, school trunks and travelling trunks. Rusty cages for who-knew-what type of animals, and various other sundry items going back decades – and sometimes a whole century, at least. She had used several cleaning charms to remove dust and old owl and animal droppings, then be-spelled the walls to glow softly to aid her in determining what to keep and what to _Evanesco_.

At one point she found an old wooden box that had belonged to some ancestor from the previous century. After using _Alohamora_ on the lock, she found an old waist coat watch complete with fob and chain. Apparently a muggle artefact, it had been charmed to always stay working and showed the current time. It was a fine gold piece that in addition to the date and time showed the moon phases and had an additional dial that showed whether it was morning or evening. She turned it over several times, looking for an inscription but never found one. She decided to pocket it with a small germ of an idea as to what she would do with it.

When she finished with the attic, she had a small stack of books she was keeping. She had made several piles of other objects - the robes, some old wands and so on and after transfiguring some packaging paper and string around them, sent them down to wait for her in the kitchen. She would be sending them off to various charity organisations – except for the wands, which she would be sending off to Ollivander's for restoration and reconditioning if possible. She would be taking those personally as she now knew what she was going to do with the watch. She would take it to the jeweller in Diagon Alley for cleaning and to have an inscription incised on the inside of the cover. It would become her wedding present to her husband.

When she reached the kitchen she conjured a cup of her raspberry tea and went to the parlour to sit on the built-in seats inside the bay window to watch the sunset over the moor. She would need to leave soon to make it back to the castle for dinner with her aunt, and – hopefully – her fiancé, but she needed to relax a minute first. The sound of the kitchen door closing caused her to look up in time to see Severus walking through the entryway into the parlour. He lifted her up off the seat and twirled her around before letting her return to earth so that he could kiss her soundly. When they came up for air, he said one word, "Exonerated."

"Oh, thank Merlin," she gasped. She sat back down on the window seat and let him hold her as her sudden onset of trembles at seeing him, calmed down.

"How bad was it?" she murmured.

"Bad enough. Albus had left a memory for them, however. He was thinking that far ahead two years ago." He shook his head in amazement.

"So, that's it then? No more trials for you?"

"Not _against _me, no. Although, I may be called to testify as an expert witness in several other trials as they catch other Death Eaters. We shall see. But for now, our plans can be solidified. So, have you picked a date yet?"

She nodded. "How about the next to last Saturday in August? Then we can go away for the week and be back in time for the school train to arrive."

"And where do you want to go?"

"Surprise me. I just want to get married in that rose garden where you proposed."

"Apt choice. Hmmm, surprise you?" He leaned back against a window casement, his arms casually crossed over his chest as he looked off into the distance, thinking. "I will definitely have to put some thought into this one – as you've been practically everywhere back when you worked for the Ministry. At least it seemed like you had been," he amended at the bemused expression on her face. "This will take some thought," he repeated.

He looked over at her and her empty mug. "Are you all done here for now?"

"Aye, I just have some packages in the kitchen to reduce for carrying. I'll need to go to Diagon Alley later this week to drop them off and do some other shopping."

She offered him her hand to pull her up, and they left the room to head home to the castle.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 19

Epilogue

The next to last Saturday in August dawned bright and clear. Esme woke up to her aunt and Wizby puttering around in her sitting room making sure everything was laid out where she could get to it. Her dress was on a form that stood in the corner. She slipped some slippers on and came out to get her morning cup of coffee and check on the proceedings.

"Your mother would be so proud!" her aunt exclaimed as she came over to give Esme a quick hug.

"Don't cry yet, Aunt Minnie! How does the garden look?"

"Perfect. You know Hermione and Ron's wedding might have been big and beautiful with all those people at it last week; and all the food – Merlin's beard! And that is fine when you are as young as they are and have as big of a family as Arthur Weasley. But I think you and Severus have it right; just a small ceremony, tastefully done."

"There have been a lot of weddings this summer, haven't there? Remus got married, too, a few weeks ago."

"Yes, that was a small wedding as well – not too many Black family members left to celebrate. Just the magistrate, Remus and Tonks; Poppy and I attended as witnesses and Potter was also there."

"Good. I wish them well, he has been a good friend to us." She finished off her mug. "Well, the caffeine is starting to work – I'm going to go take my bath. Ten o'clock will be here before I know it."

When she came back out to the main room, she just wore an under-shift. She sat down on a backless stool and let Wizby work her magic on Esme's hair. Then she went to put on her gown. Very simple in cut, it was made of ivory brocade, featuring long sleeves that buttoned up to the elbow and another row of pearl buttons straight down the front from the scooped neckline to the hem. A wreath of roses held her hair and veil in place.

Swagged from shoulder to hip was the Scott formal Tartan, which Minerva pinned at her shoulder with a family heirloom clan brooch. A simple bouquet of the same roses with a cascade of ivy, finished off the ensemble and Minerva, dressed in dark green silk formal robes, escorted her niece out of the Gryffindor tower and down to the Rose Garden.

As she walked along the pathway to chamber music performed by some seventh-year students of Flitwick's, she kept her eyes on Severus standing by the magistrate and decked out in formal robes and frock coat, today with silver buttons that sparkled in the late morning sunlight. In his waistcoat she saw he wore the watch she had given him. His face had lit up with a rare true smile when he had espied her at the entrance to the garden.

As she reached him, he took her hand and they faced the magistrate together to complete their binding, both magically and legally. As the magical ribbons around their joined hands faded and they shared a quick kiss, the assembled wizards shot sparks out of their wands and applauded.

Minerva conjured an oatcake into her hand and promptly crumbled it over their heads.

"Is this truly necessary? We are already expecting! I don't think we need any further help with fertility!" Severus complained, as he vainly attempted to dust himself free of the crumbs. And it was true, Esme was already pregnant, and in fact the dress had needed to be altered this past week because she was already beginning to show.

But Esme and Minerva only laughed, saying it was tradition, and Esmerelda helped him remove stray crumbs. He finally sighed good-naturedly and helped dust her off as well before leading her back through the gardens and to the staff room in the castle where a wedding brunch was being laid out by the house-elves.

As they walked through the Great Doors, Severus mused that it had been a very fortuitous decision to share that book all those years ago.

Fin


End file.
